Alec Baldwin: will actor go to jail by accident on the set of Rust?
So far, the family of the director of photography has not given statements and it is not known if she will press charges against the actor. Find out here what would be the penalty that the interpreter could face.
On Thursday, October 21, actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun at his cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, during the filming of the movie Rust, at the Bonanza Creek ranch in New Mexico. This fact led to the death of the woman. The tragedy has put the world of cinema in mourning and especially the 63-year-old actor, who declared on his Twitter account that he was devastated by the fact and that he is collaborating with the investigation that the New Mexico Police are carrying out. According to the first reports from the authorities, collected by local media, charges have not yet been filed and they are investigating what happened.
What happened to Alec Baldwin?
Alec Baldwin was filming a western genre movie, and when filming a scene on set where he was required to fire a loaded prop gun, this bullet hit two people: cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who died. due to the impact, and the film's director, Joel Souza, who was injured.
What happened on the set of Rust?
According to the American media TMZ, the director of photography was shot in the collarbone and, when she was taken by helicopter to the hospital, she died. The shots also wounded the 48-year-old director, who was transferred to the intensive care unit of the Christus St. Vincent medical center in the vicinity of Santa Fe, in the state of New Mexico (USA). As Frances Fisher, actress of the film, posted on Twitter, Souza has already left the hospital.
What weapon did Alec Baldwin shoot?
There are several types of prop or support weapons, one of them is the so-called blank pistol (the one that was apparently used in the filming) built in metal, with moving parts, capable of firing cartridges that, although they have gunpowder, lack projectile.
When this type of pistol is fired, the slide will rotate and the spent cartridge is ejected similar to a real firearm, but when fired at close range it can cause serious injury.
What charges could Baldwin face?
Lawyer Matthew Nash, from the University of California, told NewsWeek that Baldwin could face a charge of involuntary manslaughter - which according to New Mexico law does not require a "specific intention" to want the death of a person - if it is determined that the handling of the prop gun was reckless. If he, for example, he fired the gun even though he was warned not to.
Even if he does not face criminal charges, Baldwin or the Rust production can still face liability lawsuits, such as negligence that would qualify the event as an accident and not a crime.
The type of lawsuit or trial that the 63-year-old actor will face will depend on what the actor's contract says, whether there was negligence on his part in using the weapon, whether the film's production had a protocol for its use. weapons that could be violated or not, and to know who was responsible for the weapon that was given to the Hollywood actor.
What would be the penalty Alec Baldwin would serve?
If it is proven that Alec Baldwin committed the crime of voluntary manslaughter, under New Mexico law the fourth degree felony, he would face a maximum prison sentence of 18 months or a fine of $ 5,000.
What is the most likely legal scenario for the Rust accident?
The American judge Nancy Gertner stated for Newsweek that the most likely legal scenario regarding this fact is that a civil liability lawsuit is made and that the producer would immediately pay damages to the family of the person who died, since it is very likely that this accident is covered by insurance.
Criminal charges in these events are unusual, as fatal on-set shootings with backup pistols have historically been described as accidents, Gertner notes. One of the most prominent examples of this is Brandon Lee's death in 1993 on the set of The Crow.
What is a prop gun?
The pistols used in film recordings are often real weapons. Their difference from conventional ones is that they use modified bullets.
The cartridges that are loaded into real revolvers are made up of a casing containing explosive powder that, when fired, launches a projectile or bullet. Meanwhile, the blank bullets do not contain the projectile.
Brandon Lee's family stands in solidarity over Alec Baldwin incident
The family of Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee and whose death was recalled in networks after what happened, spoke out. In the message, they expressed solidarity with the loved ones of Halyna Hutchins and asked that no one be killed again on a film set.
“Our hearts go out to the family and to Joel Souza and everyone involved in the incident at Rust. No one should be killed by a weapon on a film set, ”reads the account run by Shannon Lee.
