The hard facts that occurred on the New Mexico set of “Rust” — a move actor Alex Baldwin is producing and starring in – are known. Baldwin pointed a stage gun at Halyna Hutchins, a 42-year-old videographer, pulled the trigger and killed her. The bullet passed through her body and wounded an assistant producer.
Since the gun — considered a prop — was supposed to carry theatrical blanks, the killing and wounding was clearly unintended. But that does not mean that there were no people “responsible” for the killing based on live ammunition being on the set … a disregard for safety provisions … and generally reckless behavior.
Obviously, someone – or someones – screwed up big time to the point of being legally and criminally culpable for Hutchin’s death.
The first obvious negligence rests with Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer. She is primarily responsible for the management of the guns – foremost of which is making sure they are not carrying live ammunition. Or that live ammunition is not even on the set.
Gutierrez-Reed has already been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing. She could get up to 18 months in prison and a $5000 fine.
Baldwin has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter. His trail is just beginning – and it is playing out as a Hollywood movie drama. Specifically, prosecutors are claiming that Baldwin was grossly negligent and operated with a “total disregard or indifference” to safety requirements.
Baldwin has some ‘splaining to do. Pointing guns – even prop guns – at anyone is generally forbidden on movie sets – especially people not in the action. Baldwin fired the gun at Hutchins for no obvious reason. They were not shooting a scene at the time..
Initially prosecutors dropped charges against Baldwin. He had said that never even pulled the trigger. A subsequent forensic examination of the gun proved that Baldwin lied. The gun could not have discharged without the trigger being fully pulled. This is one of the factors that led prosecutors to ultimately charge the actor.
The case has gone Hollywood based on Baldwin, himself, and the uncharacteristic contentiousness between the prosecutors and defense attorneys.
In the charging documents, prosecutors allege that Baldwin contributed to “safety compromises” on the set. They say that Baldwin’s work habits and personality as producer contributed to the death by undermining general safety requirements. According to the prosecutors, Baldwin put unreasonable pressure on work crews to speed up the work. They say he screamed and cursed at crew members and Gutierez-Reed to work faster.
In their filing, New Mexico prosecutors told the court that, “To watch Mr. Baldwin’s conduct on the set of “Rust” is to witness a man who has absolutely no concern for how his conduct affects those around him.”
That certainly sounds like the Alec Balwin we have learned about in the past. He has had a number of physical confrontations with people who … to use the expression … pissed him off – including frequent run-ins with the paparazzi.
Perhaps Baldwin’s most disgusting example of “attitude” came in an angry voicemail message he left for his 12-year-old daughter. The messages apparently involved issues associated with his contentious divorce from actress Kim Basinger. Here is what he left on his young daughter’s voicemail.
“You have insulted me for the last time. You don’t have the brains or the decency as a human being. I don’t give a damn that you’re 12 … 11 years old, or that you’re a child. You humiliated me for the last time with this phone. You made me feel like shit and you made me feel like a fool. And you do it to me constantly. I’m going to get on a plane, and I am gonna come out there for the day. And I’m going to straighten your ass out. You understand me? I will make sure you get it. So, you better be ready to meet with me so I can let you know just how I feel about what a rotten little pig you really are. You are a rude thoughtless little pig.”
There are no excuses for that kind of behavior. That is child abuse by definition. Baldwin has a history of verbal and physical abuse. He appears to have anger management problems. That voice on the phone was not a father. It was a contemptable human being.
The prosecutor’s description of Baldwin’s behavior on the set of “Rust” is consistent with his history. How much that will play into the trial is yet unknown, but it will not be easy for Baldwin to play “Mr. Nice Guy” to a jury.
So, there ‘tis.
FOOTNOTE: I never met Baldwin, but I did have my own involvement with him … of sorts. In 2008, he went on a rampage to have the iconic horse drawn carriages removed from city streets – the kind you have seen in innumerable movies set in New York’s Central Park. Personally, I like those carriages – and I do not like Baldwin. Soooo … I went to the Urban Dictionary to add a new term. I gave a name to those sacks under the horses’ asses to collect the droppings. I named them – appropriately, I thought — “Baldwin Bags.” I received a thank you communication from the New York livery association – saying they are now referring to them as “Baldwin Bags.” I should note that my contribution to the lexicon was shortly AFTER his infamous voicemail.
