Alec Baldwin’s Deadly “Rust” Case Has “Strong Arguments” on Both Sides, “The Crow” Producers’ Lawyer Says
The defense attorneys and the prosecutors of Alec Baldwin will each present convincing arguments in the fatal. “Rust” According to James Brosnahan, if the case goes to trial, it will be shot.
Last month, Actor at 64 New Mexico prosecutors have charged Hannah Gutierrez and Reed with involuntary murder in the 2021 deaths of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer. Hutchins, 42 years old, was shot to death by a live bullet while Baldwin was rehearsing scenes for the Western movie.
Comparative studies have been conducted between the “Rust” Filming and another tragic on-set incident in which Brandon Lee, an actor aged 28, was struck by a dummy bullet from a prop gun as he was filming scenes for 1994’s fantasy film. “The Crow.”
Brosnahan, the North Carolina district attorney who represented the production company of the film, was able to convince them not to bring criminal charges against their clients. He shared his thoughts about the matter. “Rust” Fox News Digital is subject to charges
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“My reaction to the case is that there’s strong arguments probably on both sides,” Brosnahan said.
Both Alec Baldwin’s lawyers and the prosecutors have “strong arguments” The “Rust” James Brosnahan, renown attorney, discusses the shooting case.
(MEGA/GC Images)
He continued, “Somebody died. That’s important. Certainly the jury will hear all about that.”
“And on the other hand I have no doubt that Alec Baldwin was handed a gun that he was sure had blanks in it. And the other thing is they do this all the time. They’re always handed guns that have blanks in them. And that’s a pretty good argument.”
“In the Brandon Lee case, I was able to convince the D.A. in Wilmington, North Carolina not to indict,” Brosnahan also added. “And I think part of it was the fact that these are supposed to be blanks, and when they’re not, it’s very rare. And he thought, I think it was a sad, sad case, which of course it is.”
Brosnahan thought about the There are similarities between these incidentsIt is important to note that actors often assume that guns are loaded with blanks when filming scenes on sets.
“I think Alec Baldwin could, could justifiably think that he’s been handed a gun with blanks in it in that context,” Brosnahan said.
There have been comparisons between the “Rust” Shooting. Another high-profile tragedy on set: Brandon Lee, 28, an actor, was shot to death by a dummy gun from his prop gun while filming scenes for the 1994 fantasy movie. “The Crow.” Brosnahan represented the production company of the film and persuaded North Carolina district attorneys to drop a criminal case against him.
(Pressman/Most/Kobal/Shutterstock)
“Sadly, it went off, and it killed someone,” He went on. “It was terrible. In our case, that’s exactly what happened. There were three bad guys in an apartment. Brandon Lee’s character had gone to the store. He came back, he walked through the door and one of the bad guys shot at him and to everybody’s horror hit Brandon Lee. And it happened, it didn’t have to be this way, but as it happened, it hit a vital organ, and he was probably dead by the time he hit the floor.”
Brosnahan said, “So the argument for the defense, I think, the one that I assume will be made is he had every reason to believe he was handed a gun with blanks in it and had no intention to hurting anybody. But even beyond that, if they charge him with gross negligence, and gross, as you know is really, really bad negligence, it’s more than a civil case. But it wasn’t up to him. He’s handed the gun and then this sad thing happened.”
Brosnahan said that Brandon Lee’s death in 1993 sparked a lot discussion about safety on film sets to prevent another tragedy.
“At that time, there were formulations of rules for safety and things of that kind, which may play a part in this case,” He stated. “The prosecution may want to show that there are these rules about what you’re supposed to do.”
The Lee’s revolver Although the barrel was loaded with blanks it was later discovered that a fragment from a dummy round had been embedded in the barrel. No one on set was aware of this. Lee was hit with the same force as a real bullet when it was fired.
The “Rust” The gun was loaded with a live cartridge during shooting. Later, investigators discovered that the gun was loaded with real bullets and dummy rounds in Bonanza City in New Mexico.
New Mexico prosecutors charged Hannah Gutierrez, 64, and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a film armorer, with involuntary murder in the 2021 deaths of Halyna Hutchins and Halyna Hutchins.
(Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office)
Brosnahan suggests that the prosecution will argue that Baldwin should have checked his gun prior to use.
“I don’t know that there’s a rule that he’s supposed to be checking,” He stated. “Others are supposed to be checking, but I don’t know if the actor is supposed to do it. He can assume that he’s been handed a, a gun that’s fine and filled with blanks.”
It is a hotly debated issue in the industry about how much actor responsibility they have for handling weapons on set. This will likely be a central part of the jury’s considerations if Baldwin’s case Goes to trial.
Baldwin’s lawyer called it a “suicide” after the charges were made public. “terrible miscarriage of justice” He argued that the client was not a good candidate. “relied on the professionals with whom he worked” To ensure that the set is safe.
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice,” Quinn Emanuel’s Luke Nikas stated in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Baldwin was also protected by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. “An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert,” SAG-AFTRA stated in a statement.
“Firearms are provided for their use under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.”
Mickey Rourke, Academy Award nominee actor, also attacked Baldwin’s charges. He claimed that there was no evidence. “no way in hell” He should be held responsible for the tragedy.
Hutchins (42 years old) was struck by a bullet from a gun Baldwin was using to practice a scene for the Western movie.
(Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP)
Brosnahan said to Fox News Digital he believes New Mexico prosecutors will struggle to secure a Baldwin is convicted.
“I was a federal prosecutor for five years. I don’t think I would bring these charges,” He stated.
He continued, “It may be that the statement was made a little early. I think they will indict him now that they’ve declared that they’re going to indict him. But I agree with the [SAG-AFTRA] statement as a matter of fact. And, you know, who’s going to think about that a lot? It’s the jury.”
“I tried a case in New Mexico, they have very good jurors there. They’ll be very conscientious. They’ll be aware that if they convict him, his career will be pretty much over. And that’s a heavy thing for a jury to think about. They’ve got to be pretty sure, well, they have to be beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond that, to find him guilty is going to be somewhat difficult.”
“So I agree with the guild’s statement. I don’t think the actor is in charge of it.”
Brosnahan stated that he didn’t have any comments about security personnel involved in the incident. “Rust” However, it was noted that actors were focusing on their performances while on set.
“Brandon Lee, the actor is concentrating as he’s supposed to on his character, his part in the movie,” He stated. “You know, how he’s going to do it. He was practicing pulling the gun on the vide, and so he should.”
Brosnahan believes that Baldwin’s mental state and knowledge will play a major role in determining whether he is a judge or jury member. Brosnahan said that it was not wise to do so. “It’s Complicated” Star will discuss the case with the press.
“It’s not helpful to have him do that,” He stated. “His answer probably, because I have represented people like that, is probably, ‘Well, I’m a public figure and I have to talk about things.'”
After the horrors of “Rust” And “The Crow,” Brosnahan indicated that he believes new safety rules will be put in place on movie sets.
(Jae C. Hong)
“No, your priority is the criminal case, and what you have to do is win the criminal case. It’s not good.”
Brosnahan stated to Fox News Digital that he advises all his clients in criminal cases. Never speak negatively about the case With the press, or other people without their lawyers present.
“I run them through a discussion about what’ll happen, what’s wrong with it, why it’s dangerous and so forth,” He noted. “And maybe his lawyer did that with him, and maybe he just feels he has to talk.”
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Brosnahan also offered his advice to Baldwin on what other advice he would give.
“The heart of everything is gonna be is, ‘Does he wanna go to trial?’” He stated. “And that’s his decision. You point out to him the ups and downs, but it really is a very personal decision about whether he wants to go to trial.
The attorney said that he thinks that Baldwin will ultimately decide to go to trial.
Brosnahan indicated that he believes that it will be hard for the prosecutors to secure a conviction against Baldwin.
(Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office)
“I think he’s got strong arguments that will be presented by his lawyer,” He stated. “And I think there’ll be a question about whether the prosecution can prove him guilty of criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt. And juries are very conscientious. They’re very smart because you’ve got 12 of them. And they will feel a heavy burden about convicting him for what happened in this case. I’m not saying he’ll definitely get off. I have no way of knowing that, but I do think he’s got strong arguments.”
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After the horrors of “Rust” And”The Crow,” Brosnahan stated that he anticipates New safety measures Movie sets will be subject to regulations. He stated that Baldwin had every reason believe that the gun that he was given was loaded with blanks, and that it had been checked by those who were hired to check that.
“That’s his strong argument,” He stated. “I do think that they might have new regulations about people who are checking the gun. Always. It always has to be checked, and it has to be opened, you have to look down the barrel and all those kind of things.”
“But see, that helps the defense because if they have to have these rules now, what it means is they didn’t have them before. And he didn’t violate any outstanding rules, but maybe the government has some rules that he violated, and we’ll have to see whether there are rules now or not.”
Brosnahan concluded by telling Fox News Digital “it’s a sad case.”
He continued, “And I think that’ll weigh on the jury. Accidents do happen. That’s the argument for Alec Baldwin’s lawyer. Accidents happen, not because somebody’s negligent, but because that’s the nature of the world.”
“And I do think that argument will be heard.”
The specific case against Baldwin was laid out by the prosecution in detail in the probable cause documents Released Tuesday.
“Baldwin’s deviation from known standards, practice and protocol directly caused the fatal death of Hutchins,” The documents confirm this. According to documents, Baldwin didn’t attend firearms training prior to filming. “Rust” And spent time “distracted” During a 30-minute session, which was meant to last for an “hour or more.”
Baldwin could be sentenced to up to 18 month imprisonment if convicted of involuntary killing. According to the DA’s statement, if he is convicted for that offense plus a firearm enhancement, he could be sentenced to a mandatory five-year term.
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