District attorney reacts to Alec Baldwin after he claims it's 'unlikely' he'll be charged in 'Rust'

[ripcord]

Source: Yahoo News

Baldwin made the claim during his first sit-down interview about what happened before a revolver fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

The actor said he'd been in touch with people who assured him it was "highly unlikely" he would face criminal charges.

But Carmack-Altwies says no one who handled guns on the movie set has been cleared of criminal culpability. "Everyone involved in the handling and use of firearms on the set had a duty to behave in a manner such that the safety of others was protected, and it appears that certain actions and inactions contributed to this outcome," Carmack-Altwies told TMZ.

"Once I have had the opportunity to review the complete investigation, certain individuals may be criminally culpable for his/her actions and/or inactions on the set of Rust," she added.

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/district-attorney-reacts-alec-baldwin-023235499.html

[SoCalDavidS]

1. Mr. Baldwin Is Not Too Bright

He thinks that if he goes on TV and says that he's unlikely to be charged, that will make it so.

I guess he feels like a brief PR bump is better than none at all.

I'm not saying that he will be charged, but to come out at this stage and act like you're all clean, when there's still an ongoing investigation, is Moronic.

[jimfields33]

3. I thought when I heard he was giving this interview that he was dumb to do so.

Arrogance of the elite. I didn’t say a thing because I know he’s popular here, but still how dumb is he to do this.

[BlackSkimmer]

36. I agree.

And that wife of his who pretended to be Spanish….what a couple.

[shrike3]

14. Not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, definitely.

[Bengus81]

34. Shouldn't be an investigation against HIM,should be the armor people on the set

[mahina]

72. I think he's saying what he thinks and agree makes us all stupid.

He obviously didn’t put the bullet in the gun and someone clearly did.

I am in no position to judge his or anyone’s intellect or lack thereof.

It is a horrible situation all around.

[Crepuscular]

2. ...

Baldwin would have been much smarter to keep his damn mouth shut. Listening to that interview, it seemed like a lot of the lines had been rehearsed and he was acting a part, not the impression that you want to give. I can't believe his attorneys let him do the interview, if he did so against their advice, then they have a fool for a client, who thinks he is smarter than them.

[JI7]

7. I think he is the type that insist on doing it even if they told him not to

[Upthevibe]

4. Really, really bad decision on his part....

I would bet that his attorneys begged him not to do it but he did it anyway.

Once again, this was a horrible decision on his part....

[OneCrazyDiamond]

5. Gulp.

That sounds ominous.

[abqtommy]

6. This is the first comment I've made during this whole affair. It's my opinion that of all

the human error involved here, the largest error was made by Baldwin and he needs to
face the consequences.

[onecaliberal]

10. Did he bring live ammo to the property? Seems to me THAT person

Made the error.

[Miguelito Loveless]

15. Perhaps it is just me,

but I was always taught you don’t take anyone’s word that a weapon is not loaded, you check yourself to be sure. I would never bet someone’s life on another person’s word.

[onecaliberal]

24. The gun was supposedly loaded with blanks.

It was not unloaded. I ask again, who brought live ammo to the property?

[LisaL]

27. Not blanks. Dummy rounds. They are not one and the same.

NT

[onecaliberal]

29. Whatever was in the gun should NOT have been live ammunition.

That is my point. If
You’re looking to assign blame, start there. WHERE did the live ammo come from? Who brought it on to the property?

[LisaL]

52. It's still being investigated.

The ammunition on the set was purchased from multiple sources.

[BlackSkimmer]

37. I bet if the script called for him to aim it at his own head, he'd have checked that gun.

I dislike how he blamed the victim in that interview.

[onecaliberal]

42. I didn't see him blame the victim. I heard him blame the people who were in charge of the gun and

Ammo. Starting to wonder what interview some of you watched.

[LisaL]

76. Total speculation on your part.

NT

[Bengus81]

31. Maybe he doesn't know what a blank cartridge looks like opposed to a live round

And that's HIS fault?? Jesus...he is ONLY the actor on that set,not the property person RESPONSIBLE for GUN SAFETY on the set,not the director,not the camera person.

This is BS!

[onecaliberal]

63. 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[Miguelito Loveless]

74. If a person in going to handle a firearm,

then there is a chance someone can die. That should be enough incentive to know a blank round from a live round, and take the few seconds to check. Again, I do not take someone else’s word for the condition of a firearm I am going to point at another human being.

Everyone failed, including Baldwin.

[Bengus81]

82. That's exactly why they had TWO PAID professionals on that set to make damn sure

that no one would DIE from that handgun by checking and DOUBLE checking that it would never have a live round in any chamber. Their job wasn't to be an actor,run the camera's or lighting or build the sets,it was ONLY to insure the 100% safety of ANY weapon on that set and that it could never injure anyone. That's also why they told Baldwin that he had a COLD gun in his hand before the camera's rolled,they had checked it and it was SAFE. They didn't do the job they were PAID to do and a tragedy happened.

Again,if Baldwin would have bumped up against a wall of the set and it came crashing down killing someone would that ALSO be his fault or the carpenters who built it?

[Miguelito Loveless]

83. Sorry, the obligation that a gun is safe is an unbroken chain that

involves EVERYONE who handles the weapon. People get hurt or die when the last person in the chain ASSUMES everyone prior to them did their job. The chain can be long, as short as one person. I have never been handled a firearm that I did make safe, and examine personally. Even when handed a weapon I intended to fire, with live ammo, I checked that the weapon was loaded correctly with the correct munitions, and that the barrel was unobstructed (I have found cleaning patches in a barrel before).

Your last comparison is simply not comparable. Buildings are not deadly weapons by design, intended for use in killing people.

[Kaleva]

18. It's possible Baldwin had no idea that guns are dangerous

and that's why he didn't follow basic gun safety rules.

[Bengus81]

32. He doesn't have to. He's an actor in a MOVIE with a crew that is 100% responsible for that GUN

and that it will NOT KILL ANYONE. People act like his was out on the sidewalk in LA twirling HIS PERSONAL gun around and it went off.



Pfffttt....This crap would be laughed out of court.

[BlackSkimmer]

38. Do you think he would have double checked that gun if the script called for him to point it at his

own head? Of course he would have.

[Bengus81]

44. You double check lug nuts before you leave the tire store after having new tires installed?

Nah...you figure professionals did the job CORRECTLY even though if they didn't YOU could kill someone if a wheel came off on the way home.

Wonder if people on this board think THEY should be charged with murder/manslaughter if that happened to them?? Why....No,of course not. The charge would be on the tire store and it's employee's.

Baldwin having ANY culpability in this is just nonsense.

[ripcord]

50. Could you show me a legal expemtion?

Something that shows that Baldwin isn't subject to the gun safety laws everyone else has to obey? Armorers aren't licensed or certified so legally it is no different than a friend handing you a gun and telling you it is empty. Movie and insurance industry regulations don't overrule gun safety laws.

[Bengus81]

61. Doesn't matter,they were paid for their services. That makes them professionals

Go ask any Judge and he'll agree. BTW,if you think EVERY business has to be licensed to operate your wrong.

[ripcord]

65. But it doesn't give them the right to let others break the law

Gun safety is coded into law, the presence of an armorer doesn't change those requirements, just because the production and insurance company rules say something doesn't mean it changes the law. An armorer has no special certifications allowing them to tell others to ignore gun safety laws.

[Bengus81]

69. Oh yeah right...the production company told the armorer we don't care if you put live

rounds in the gun instead of what there were TOLD and required TO DO which was a cold gun.

Your right,there are CODES that the armorer must live by (if they want to stay in business) even if Baldwin would have told them to SCREW the laws, which we know that was not what happened. A builder could tell a framer to put exterior studs on 2 ft centers to save money instead of 16" but if they did they'd be in code violations and would never do it.

Your argument doesn't hold water unless you really think Baldwin and the production crew told the PAID PROFESSIONAL armorers to put whatever they wanted into that gun--live or blanks,we don't give a flying fuck.

Seriously??

[LiberalLovinLug]

70. What more safety laws could Alex have adhered to?

A prop gun on set, should have been handled and tested through more than one safety check. Accumulating in one final check before its handed to the actor for the scene.

Is it the requirement of the actor, who has a lot already on his plate, even after all the other prop testing gatekeeping is (supposedly) done, to first pull the trigger into a pillow just to make sure or something? What are these safety laws he neglected to do?

We really do have a big tent. I'm amazed at some of the reactions vilifying Baldwin on DU. Do people honestly believe that he purposely disregarded some safety protocol, knowing that he was risking the lives of his fellow movie workers, knowing that there was a small chance that the gun may be loaded with real bullets...and shot at someone anyways?

Why would you come to that conclusion? Is it because, as someone here said, "Not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree"? He's just stupid?
He may be a bit arrogant, but stupid is not a word I'd describe such an accomplished actor.

[Farmer-Rick]

77. Totally agree

My daughter has been a director in several movies and even one where cars were on fire.

They hired a fire production company to set and monitor the fires. It wasn't the actor's job to make sure the fire didn't get out of control, even though the actors performed by the fire. It was the people they hired responsibility to carefully monitor and control the fire.

There are fire protocols written into law that most people are aware of such as warning others of a fire or smoke. But those protocols are not applicable on set. And the same applies to gun safety protocols. They are not applicable because real ammo is not used.......how in the world did real ammo get on set? The person who brought it is the murderer.

Why would anyone expect the actors to monitor the amo, gun or fire when a professional service was contracted, paid and responsible?

[oneshooter]

84. I understand that the armouer was given additional, not firarms related, work to do.

And that she was doing the "additional, non firearms related" jobs she was given.

[oneshooter]

85. I understand that the armouer was given additional, not firarms related, work to do.

And that she was doing the "additional, non firearms related" jobs she was given.

[Kaleva]

71. It's your right to have a don't give a fuck attitude about gun safety.

I and many others feel otherwise and believe that anyone who handles a gun, regardless of the situation, ought to treat it as potentially dangerous (hundreds killed every year prove that to be true) and follow simple to understand and life saving safety rules.

For the sake of those around you, I do hope you don't ever hold a gun, even for a brief moment. If you do, I beseech you to take some training first.

[ShazzieB]

79. That's a totally unfair accusation.

I would bet serious money that no one here has a "don't give a fuck attitude about gun safety," and you have no right to insinuate any of us do, based on a conversation about how guns are handled on movie sets. Insulting fellow DUers is not cool.

[Bengus81]

30. Get real would you?

[RockRaven]

8. Don't poke a prosecutor before they say they are finished with you.

Idiot! Asshole!

[ProgRocknProgPol]

9. Looks Like Baldwin's Spanky Impression Extends Outside SNL

[Lithos]

11. I thought it was stupid of Alec Baldwin as well

I do not think he was culpable in a criminal sense - I think it was an accident. But opening his mouth in this type of fashion exposes him to one or more civil lawsuits.

If I were his lawyer, I would be taking Alec back to the outhouse for a good flogging. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

L-

[Drum]

12. Life imitates art?

🤔

[shrike3]

13. I know someone who worked in Hollywood for years.

Still in touch with friends in the biz. She says the movie was being done on the cheap, meaning that scabs (non-union) were used. New Mexico is a right to work state. Also, the production did not hire what is called a Unit Production Manager, again, to save money. The Unit Production Manager is the Buck-stops-here guy. Makes sure everything is kosher, checks everything twice. They did not have one. In her opinion, more than a few people were negligent in this instance.

btw, I agree that Baldwin does not seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[LisaL]

28. It has been widely reported that the movie was a low budget flick.

NT

[shrike3]

51. I've heard those details only from her.

She specifically blames the lack of a Unit Production Manager. She worked in makeup and hair onset for years, and at one time was Tom Hanks personal assistant onset.

[CTyankee]

90. Exactly what my daughter said. She manages the costume dept. at Warner Bros. studio.

Filming in a right to work state to get crews on the cheap is a HUGE no-no to her, as it should be. I raised her to believe in strong labor rights. When she got promoted she could no longer belong to IATSE.

[shrike3]

91. Your daughter's job sounds interesting.

My friend loved her work, loved the people she met. Show biz itself not so much, but it was a necessary evil.

[CTyankee]

94. It's a whole other world. I have deep respect for my daughter and others who work in the film

industry in Hollywood. Years ago, she was right out of college and wanted to go to Yale's School of Drama, for an advanced degree in costume design. Unfortunately, she did not get in and headed to Hollywood. So there!

[C Moon]

16. I honestly don't get all the dumps on Alec Baldwin. I think he's a brilliant and kind Democrat.

Maybe there's some hidden RW bull shit going on.

[Cha]

17. I don't like it.. I

read most of the comments waiting to see if anyone stuck up for AB.. so thank you!

[MustLoveBeagles]

67. I saw the full interview

I believe him. I'll be posting the interview the Video & Multimedia Group.

[Cha]

68. TY Beagles!

I'll be looking for it.

[Kaleva]

19. Anyone who handles a gun in an unsafe manner shouldn't be defended.

Being a brilliant and kind Democrat is irrelevant.

Like giving a pass to serial sexual harasser Cuomo because he's one of us. Some here were saying it was a plot by Trump to remove Cuomo and that the women were lying.

[LisaL]

57. So when the script says that Baldwin's character should point the gun into the general direction of

the camera, Baldwin should refuse to point the gun?
He is reasonably expecting the gun not to be loaded with live ammunition.

[Kaleva]

73. Did the script call for Baldwin to point the gun at the Halyna Hutchins?

Your comment:

"He is reasonably expecting the gun not to be loaded with live ammunition."

One of the most fundamental and simple to understand safety rules is to treat every gun like it's loaded. Even if one verifies that it isn't. There is no such thing as reasonably expecting the gun not to be loaded with live ammunition.

[LisaL]

75. Script called for the gun to be pointed in the general direction of the camera.

Halyna was behind the camera.

[Kaleva]

88. Which isn't the same thing

Pointing a gun in the general direction of a person is not the same as pointing the gun directly at a person.

Baldwin could have avoided shooting the woman dead by following basic gun handling safety procedures (Never let the muzzle point at anything that you are not willing to destroy) and still have followed the script.

[shrike3]

92. Which is done in movies and TV and onstage all the time.

Which is why a gun is supposed to be unloaded when it is on set or on stage. Because it is supposed to be make believe.

[Kaleva]

20. I would like to know if Baldwin received training on the safe handling of a gun.

along with everyone else on the set who was to handle a gun.

[shrike3]

58. I doubt anybody on set

One particular department handles weaponry, and they are supposed to be onset at all times. Between takes, the armorer takes back the gun.

I have a friend who worked on movie sets for decades. I don't know if she's ever worked with Baldwin. I've never asked. She at times mentions big names she's worked with, but she's never mentioned him. She blames the production company for not hiring a Unit Production Manager. The person in that position oversees all the details onset and signs off on everything. Makes sure everything's kosher. This set didn't hire one so as to save money.

[Raine]

21. Baldwin thinks he s lot smarter then what he actually is.

With people like that it's almost impossible to get them to accept that they're making a big mistake, like trying to get them to keep their big mouth shut.

[twodogsbarking]

22. I think I will wait and see how it plays out.

[malthaussen]

23. Yeah, Alec, by all means dare them to do it...

... that'll play well.

-- Mal

[birdographer]

25. At first he seemed genuinely horrified

by what he had done. But now he has had time to think about his career and how he can best spin the whole thing to his advantage. Didn't I read somewhere that his claim now is that he never pulled the trigger? Perhaps he doesn't want to be another Mel Gibson that no producer will touch. He should have just shut up.

[LisaL]

26. How would you know if he pulled the trigger?

He says he didn't. He didn't claim otherwise before.

[Lucid Dreamer]

33. Baldwin actually admitted to firing the gun in the interview, but he probably doesn't know it [yet].

Baldwin actually admitted to firing the gun in the interview, but he probably doesn't know it [yet].

Baldwin said "I didn't pull the trigger."
But he did acknowledge that he let the hammer down. Obviously not gentle enough.
When the hammer's firing pin hits the primer hard enough there is a bang.
If the hammer was back far enough to lock back, how did he release it to go forward without touching the trigger?
Or if the hammer did not lock back and he was holding it with his thumb all the time, did he not know there is a proper way of setting the hammer forward gently?

His lack of necessary knowledge about firearms was evident in the interview.
There may very well be others beside AB that have some culpability, but his mishandling in this case of negligent discharge is inexcusable. He shot the woman. And he knows it.

[Bengus81]

35. Lack of gun knowledge? DING DING!! That's EXACTLY why they have armors on movie sets

It's 100% up to THEM to make sure any weapon on the set will NOT KILL ANYONE.

Baldwin is an actor in that movie,that's ALL he was hired to do,they didn't hire him because he knows guns and ammo inside and out. So I guess if his ass bumped against a wall on the set and it came down on someones head that too would be his fault and not the carpenters??

Hardly....

[BlackSkimmer]

39. Do you mean "armorer?" Because you keep spelling it wrong.

And what do you mean “ he was hired” lol, it was his movie.

[Bengus81]

40. So he didn't get paid because it was "his movie"?

ROFLMAO!!!! Yeah when Eastwood acts and directs one of his "own" movies he doesn't get paid either.

Oh and thanks for avoiding the issue and playing spelling cop.

[BlackSkimmer]

43. Where were we talking about him getting paid?

Sorry, but if you want to spout knowledge about who is responsible for gun safety on sets, you should at least try and get the titles correct.

[Bengus81]

45. Keep ignoring the real issue here,it makes you look more lame each time

You've gone from blaming Baldwin to spelling cop and now some kind of employment BS when someone questions your statements on how Baldwin is to blame for others not doing their job.


Baldwin having ANY culpability in this is just nonsense.

[BlackSkimmer]

47. Dude, you keep rerouting all you want.

Not working.

[ripcord]

55. Armorers aren't licensed or certified in any way

Legally how is this any different than a friend handing you a gun a gun and telling you it is unloaded?

[ShazzieB]

80. Oh. My. God.

Pretty sure there's no point in anyone here trying to answer that. If anyone does, you'll just fire back (pun intended) that they don't know what they're talking about. Pretty pointless, imo.

[shrike3]

53. A friend who worked in Hollywood for years says what you said.

There's a protocol to be followed and this set didn't follow it. My friend blames the lack of a Unit Production Manager who oversees the details and sees that everything is kosher. They didn't hire one to save money.

[shrike3]

60. It was SUPPOSED to be unloaded.

He was given a "cold gun," which means it isn't loaded. Except this one was.

[shrike3]

62. If you want to blame anyone, blame Hollywood

This could have happened to any actor who was handed a gun he was told was unloaded. Actors follow the script. They are not supposed to be weapons experts. They shouldn't have to be. Live rounds are not supposed to be in a gun used on screen. It is not the actors' responsibility to check the weapon. This particular production hired scabs and also did not hire a Unit Production Manager, who is supposed to double check everything and sign off on everything. This production did everything on the cheap. Since Baldwin was one of the producers, he may share culpability in that regard.

[Joinfortmill]

41. The Behavior Panel analysis of Alec Baldwin interview.

[BlackSkimmer]

46. Fascinating.

Thanks for this. I didn’t buy the crying act at all.

[LisaL]

49. It's called a movie.

Actors point guns and pretend to kill other people. Script called for Baldwin's character to point a gun into a general direction of the camera.

[Bengus81]

64. Agree and.....Is it just Baldwin haters on DU or what the hell is it?

To me it would be the same no matter what actor had this happen to them. Baldwin and no doubt countless others were told by PROFESSIONALS that a gun on a movie set was cold and therefor would NOT shoot a live round.

End of story--at least for Baldwin

[Kaleva]

89. What kind of training did you take which taught you could ignore basic safety rules

when handling a gun if told by someone else that the gun was cold?

I'm unaware of any. Maybe you could provide a link to one that does?

[Bengus81]

93. It was a MOVIE set,not Baldwins front yard or a street corner

Yes...he was told by professionals that the gun held NO LIVE ROUNDS. That's their JOB,that's what the TWO of them were paid to do.

It's not Baldwin's fault,it's THEIR fault.

Gawd.............

[shrike3]

54. In the movies and onstage it's done all the time.

[LisaL]

56. Yep, and Baldwin was following the script.

Script called for him to point a gun into a general direction of a camera.
How is he going to act if he were to refuse to follow the script?

[shrike3]

59. Exactly. n/t

[Farmer-Rick]

78. The fault lies with the person who brought the live ammo. That is intent

There is not supposed to be live ammo on set. How many shows have you seen where people are shot on tv or the movies? It's done routinely. And no one really died. The fault is in the person who brought the live ammo on set. They are the murderer.

It's not the actor's job to ensure the guns are properly loaded with the proper rounds. What's the use of having a contractor responsible for the prop guns if you are going to have the actors responsible for it?

I would be carefully looking at how those rounds were changed to live ammo and how they got on set.

It's almost as if someone set the actors up as their proxy murderer.

[ripcord]

86. According to the law the responsibility for a firearm rests with whoever is holding it nt

[Farmer-Rick]

87. Can you quote the number and section of the law?

Just want to see if you read the law correctly and that there's no exceptions for movie sets.

[nvme]

66. I loved his Dumpster impersonation on SNL

Maybe he is being possessed by the same evil spirits that possess TFG have taken over him and are controlling his ego

[The Jungle 1]

81. He must have legal counsel?

Why would they allow him to do that interview?
That said I am more concerned that we once again have children killing children in schools. Something our political leaders refuse to do anything about.