I just read this interesting news article, I hadn't heard this before:

April 20, 2023
Link to LA Times news story

And then we get this,



This is nonsense. If you handle a gun, you're responsible for safe handling. If you're not competent for safe-handling, don't handle it (e.g., if you're not qualified to drive a car, don't take the wheel for a driving scene). This is a special pleading that shifts all responsibility to armorers.



Mr. Baldwin did not inspect the weapon. It is a very simple thing to clear a weapon. He outsourced his responsibility entirely to others (including himself as producer). He broke fundamental safety rules in pointing the weapon at a person. If Mr. Baldwin had abided by the basic rules of gun safety required of any person (actor or not) who handles a gun, Hutchins would be alive. Full stop.



Colt Single Action is NOT a machine gun. It is not even like a striker-fired semi-automatic pistol. Two operations have to be completed to make it fire. You can pull the trigger all day on a Colt Single Action revolver and it won't go "boom." And this is true even if it has been modified (note the article fails to document alleged modifications). This is why you can spin an old west six-shooter like Johnny Ringo without danger of a negligent discharge. 1. The hammer must first be cocked back with the thumb. 2. The trigger must be pulled. There is no exculpating "misfire" here. If you pull back the hammer and point a gun at a person, that's on you.



If Mr. Baldwin had been handled an early production Sig 320 and it went bang when he dropped the thing, then we could call this an innocent misfire. What happened is no where in the neighborhood of such an event. He picked up a gun. He did not clear the gun. He did not handle the gun safely. At a minimum, he had to draw back the hammer manually (i.e., the laws of physics and the mechanics of an SAA revolver are what they are) and point it another human being for this tragedy to have happened.



If any of us had behaved similarly, we would face trial.

None of the above changes the fact that:
New Mexico prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin in the deadly “Rust” shooting, a dramatic reversal after numerous missteps by prosecutors.


The development came after prosecutors received new information in the case — that Baldwin’s prop gun had been modified before being delivered to the low-budget western in October 2021, according to three people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment.


*I'm not going to be baited into 'entertaining you' either.

Please this movie wasn't getting a theatrical release before or after the accident. I clocked this day one...the family will get a settlement from the insurance company.


Hannah Guitterez-Reed is going to cut a deal not serve any jail time

Run your victory lap. Enjoy it. Halyna Hutchins was still killed by Alec Baldwin. Nothing will ever change that.

And I have already explained how this doesn't change anything. A SAA pistol has to have the hammer drawn back to a cocked position to fire. Bold print doesn't change trigger mechanics or the laws of physics.



He did not clear the gun. He cocked the hammer. He pointed it at Halyna Hutchins. Guns don't shoot themselves.

This isn't entertainment. This isn't trolling. This is a miscarriage of justice.

I'm reporting this to @Yoda I posted a news story without quoting anyone and without giving any opinions. You've proceed to turn this into an aggression. This is a friendly board and I'm not interested in pissing matches. Your comment above is unwarranted and tries to paint me as enjoying the fact that Halyna Hutchins was killed. That's a sly ad hominem attack and bad behaviour.

Re: Alec Baldwin accidentally kills crew member with prop gun
 

Yeah, I'm gonna close this for awhile.

At several points in this thread people have wanted me to close it, and I've resisted because the activity was still being spurred by news and the posting of news. Someone posting a news update is not necessarily or specifically inviting a debate, or crowing, or anything else, and if it's treated as such then it's possible there's no more real discussion to be had on the topic.