re: Alec Baldwin re-indicted on manslaughter charges by New Mexico grand jury

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They should ask themselves if they’d have the same opinion if it were Tom Selleck.

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I would have the same opinion for anyone.

If a normal American would be charged in this situation, Baldwin should be charged in this situation.

Your every day American doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt for being “untrained” or being handed a gun by another individual “who was supposed to clear the weapon”.

Stop giving celebrities special privileges.

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Responses will dodge the issue by saying that Selleck would never do it because he is a gun guy.

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The “he wasn’t trained” aspect is hilarious.

Do you have the same opinion when a random person, who has taken no firearm course, does the same thing as Baldwin?

Everyone knows that they wouldn’t and society wouldn’t give them that same privilege either.

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If a normal American would be charged in this situation, Baldwin should be charged in this situation.

Your every day American doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt for being “untrained” or being handed a gun by another individual “who was supposed to clear the weapon”.

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People keep harping on this point, but I think they are misunderstanding it.

I think it's not Baldwin the celeb skating because he's a celeb.

It's that it was a prop in a film production. Any actor/stuntman would be similarly treated.

That is NOT the SAME as handling a gun in a shop, or anywhere else.

You are operating under the principle that it is a PROP, a piece of make-believe. And you are acting out make-believe shooting at other people- something that also would get you arrested in any other circumstance. Just as driving crazy-fast and running other people off the road would do. And yet they are in real cars doing just that.

If you insist on utterly rejecting that, I suggest you go find a way to watch the filming of an action film, and then go yell indignantly at any actor who doesn't instantly strip and clear the prop-gun they're handed

This link is useful
LINK
It's the industry bulletin for usage of firearms in film production.
They broke about a dozen of the listed rules, as far as I can tell. Obviously the first one- no live ammo is to be on set. And then CLEARLY the one that says said prop is to be examined and cleared by the Prop Master or Armorer, prior to handing to anyone.
Yes, it then goes on to state Do Not Point At Anyone, including self.

And it's a very curious thing that the gun was loaded at all, and I wish we could learn more on that.
Apparently, whoever took the gun and handed it to Baldwin had no inkling that it might potentially have been loaded, so they didn't check it. That was gross negligence on their part, but I'm surprised there was no investigation into who may have loaded it and then set it into the prop cabinet. That really smells like it was a setup. If it was some pissed off guy who wasn't happy, he should also be up on charges too. Instead, they're just looking at the obvious (producer, armorer, actor who did the shooting); but they might just be incompetent/negligent. The person who loaded and placed a gun into the props cabinet seems intent on something bad to happen.

If an every day American pushed someone off a building they are going to jail


Actors do it all the time. Scruffy must me big mad

If an every day American cut someone open and they die, they are doing to jail. Doctors like scruffy do it all the time….

It’s not his celebrity status giving him a “pass”, it’s the nature of his profession

Seems to me he may be guilty of negligence. Whether or not that translates into manslaughter I don't know not being a lawyer. Apparently someone in New Mexico seems to think so

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Please show me the specific laws that exempt actors from the laws of the jurisdiction that they are working in.

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In any jurisdiction, pushing someone off a building is illegal

But in acting, it’s allowed, because the actor had the reasonable expectation the stunt crew set to the airbag properly and harm will not hallen

In any jurisdiction, throwing a grenade at people will be illegal. But in acting, it’s expected the crew in charge of explosives didn’t bring a live grenade

It’s the same situation here

Since some posters are essentially claiming since its basically a job no charges should be filed heres a tidbit of information.

If a supervisor/manager/president of a company knowingly violate OSHA regulations that resulted in a fatality(ies) they have put those people in jail in the past. Not necessarily for manslaughter but under OSHA statues and other findings. This doesn't fall under OSHA's umbrella that I know of but its a precedent for on the job safety deaths.

I dont know much about this incident but wasnt Baldwin the producer? Essentially the boss on set? If he skipped on safety protocols he should be at least charged for the involuntary manslaughter charge. The responsibility for the employees on sets safety falls on him. Then let the jury decide.

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A squib round is a projectile that has become stuck in the barrel of a firearm. It is not a round used on movie sets, it's a bullet malfunction. Firing a weapon with a squib stuck in the barrel usually destroys the weapon and could cause serious injury. Blanks used in movie props contain wadding that is a dangerous projectile for a short distance. You do not point and fire a weapon at someone even if it is loaded with blanks. Baldwin broke all four basic gun safety rules and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. His malfeasance with a weapon is directly responsible for a death and a serious injury.

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A squib round is what killed Brandon Lee.

Here’s the SAG safety guidelines. Based on them, Baldwin is Fricked. It also puts to bed the asinine actors immunity argument.

LINK

“ These SAFETY BULLETINS are guidelines recommended by the Safety Committee. They are not binding laws or regulations. State, federal, and/or local regulations, where applicable, override these guidelines.”

This means, if you are using firearms on set, and someone dies, you are at the mercy of the laws of the local jurisdiction. Here’s involuntary manslaughter in NM:

Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice.

A. Voluntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion.

Whoever commits voluntary manslaughter is guilty of a third degree felony resulting in the death of a human being.

B. Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.

Baldwin was performing a lawful act (handling a gun on set), pointed it at someone, and a death resulted from him pointing it at someone. He acted WITHOUT due caution and circumspection when he failed to consult with the propmaster, or ensure the gun was unloaded prior to pointing it at someone. These checks are right in the SAG guidelines, and if he followed them, no one would have died.

The facts ARE not on his side.

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Now.... If he had extensive firearms training, then he may bear some responsibility.

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Probably shouldn’t try this defense in court.