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It seems to me that there are TWO paths to charge Baldwin with responsibility for the death of Hutchins and wounding of Souza:
1. His role as the person holding the firearm, and
2. His role as the producer of the film.
Holding the firearm. In my opinion, he has near-zero culpability in the first, as the person holding the firearm. He was handed a firearm which he was told was 'cold;' the actual movements he made after that were industry-standard, and were made under the direction of others. However, notwithstanding his freedom from liability in this role, he seemed to spend all of his effort defending and denying the plain truth of the operation of a Single Action Army 1873-type reproduction revolver. His passionate insistence that he did not pull the trigger is ridiculous to anyone familiar with the operation of these revolvers, and there are MILLIONS of us. Shut up, Baldwin; you pulled the trigger, but you have NO culpability for that act.
Producing the film. As producer, Baldwin has ultimate responsibility for hiring the people working on the film, and for the working environment. Problematic hiring include: assistant director David Halls, with at least two prior safety violations on films, one involving a firearm discharging unexpectedly, which led to his termination from that film; armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who had been criticized in her only other armorer role for her handling of firearms. (Halls pled guilty to negligent use of a firearm on the Rust set.) In addition to problems in these two key positions, there were numerous complaints about working conditions, including safety concerns with firearms. It is not disputed that two prop guns were unintentionally discharged a total of three times prior to the fatality; there is also a report, later disputed, that crew members took the prop guns away from the site and shot at beer cans with them. As the producer, Baldwin IS responsible for the orderly and safe running of the project, and does deserves sanctions for unsafe practices.
Anyway, that's my take on this. I think the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter is appropriate.
1. His role as the person holding the firearm, and
2. His role as the producer of the film.
Holding the firearm. In my opinion, he has near-zero culpability in the first, as the person holding the firearm. He was handed a firearm which he was told was 'cold;' the actual movements he made after that were industry-standard, and were made under the direction of others. However, notwithstanding his freedom from liability in this role, he seemed to spend all of his effort defending and denying the plain truth of the operation of a Single Action Army 1873-type reproduction revolver. His passionate insistence that he did not pull the trigger is ridiculous to anyone familiar with the operation of these revolvers, and there are MILLIONS of us. Shut up, Baldwin; you pulled the trigger, but you have NO culpability for that act.
Producing the film. As producer, Baldwin has ultimate responsibility for hiring the people working on the film, and for the working environment. Problematic hiring include: assistant director David Halls, with at least two prior safety violations on films, one involving a firearm discharging unexpectedly, which led to his termination from that film; armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who had been criticized in her only other armorer role for her handling of firearms. (Halls pled guilty to negligent use of a firearm on the Rust set.) In addition to problems in these two key positions, there were numerous complaints about working conditions, including safety concerns with firearms. It is not disputed that two prop guns were unintentionally discharged a total of three times prior to the fatality; there is also a report, later disputed, that crew members took the prop guns away from the site and shot at beer cans with them. As the producer, Baldwin IS responsible for the orderly and safe running of the project, and does deserves sanctions for unsafe practices.
Anyway, that's my take on this. I think the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter is appropriate.
