# Alec Baldwin \[accidentally\] Kills Crew Member with Prop Gun {2021-10-21} **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [October 22, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960 "2021-10-22T02:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 141
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2828 "2024-07-11T01:06:37Z")
I never believed this case would go to trial. Not much to say now. I’m curious what strategy the Prosecutor will use. I strongly believe the person most responsible is already serving time in jail. It bothers me that her assistant (from props) and the assistant director got deals. I didn’t know the other Woman was involved until the trail. She was in props and given extra duty to assist Hannah. She had very little training. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2829 "2024-07-11T01:08:22Z")
Sure–it’s also illegal to hit someone with a car, but stuntfolks do it all the time. And can certainly be fatal if done incorrectly. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2830 "2024-07-11T01:17:22Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > What absolutely infuriates me is how we are, it would seem, supposed to accept that whatever the movie industry says is safe, is safe. The movie industry says “no live ammo on set”. But a spectacularly incompetent newbie armorer let some in. That is her fault, and her fault alone. > [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > To me, using real guns on a movie set seems about as appropriate in this day and age They are phasing them out, but some copy cat fake guns just do not look the part. This should be fixed, and another rule can be- soon- no real guns on set (except maybe on the policeman acting as security). But they are not up to that level yet. I think this is gonna be the impetus to make it so. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Ignoring the movie aspect of this… It is illegal to point a gun at someone, even if you don’t pull the trigger. At least in my state it’s a misdemeanor to “intentionally point a firearm at or toward another”. It is illegal to crash into another car. It is illegal to drive 120 MPH. It is illegal to hit someone. They get a pass for things like that. > [@Tride](#): > > Sure–it’s also illegal to hit someone with a car, but stuntfolks do it all the time. And can certainly be fatal if done incorrectly. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2831 "2024-07-11T02:27:49Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > What absolutely infuriates me is how we are, it would seem, supposed to accept that whatever the movie industry says is safe, is safe. it should be noted that HAD movie industry standards been actually followed, the victim would still be alive. They weren’t. This isn’t an argument about the standards, it’s negligence on the part of the people who handled the gun BEFORE it was put in Baldwin’s hands. One of which was given a free pass and one of which is currently convicted and in prison. If the guy who actually handed Baldwin the gun and declared it “cold” got a pass, why wouldn’t Baldwin? This is a political prosecution, nothing more, nothing less. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2832 "2024-07-11T04:43:06Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > This isn’t an argument about the standards, it’s negligence on the part of the people who handled the gun BEFORE it was put in Baldwin’s hands. If only it were that easy, there’d be no trial. But the prosecutor disagrees and, FWIW, I’m inclined to hear them out. I’m also not inclined to grant that a multi-millionaire celebrity is somehow getting treated too harshly because of his wealth and status. I suspect it’s quite the opposite. > [@Zakalwe](#): > > If the guy who actually handed Baldwin the gun and declared it “cold” got a pass, why wouldn’t Baldwin? Because that guy took a deal and Baldwin didn’t? I mean, say what you want about the propriety of plea bargaining, but it’s hardly as if Baldwin is the first ever defendant to be put on trial after turning down a plea to a lesser charge. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2833 "2024-07-11T11:18:04Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > Sure–it’s also illegal to hit someone with a car, but stuntfolks do it all the time. And can certainly be fatal if done incorrectly. > [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > Ignoring the movie aspect of this… It is illegal to point a gun at someone, even if you don’t pull the trigger. At least in my state it’s a misdemeanor to “intentionally point a firearm at or toward another”. > > It is illegal to crash into another car. It is illegal to drive 120 MPH. It is illegal to hit someone. They get a pass for things like that. What’s your point? That’s unrelated to what I said. Why do you think I started off my reply with “Ignoring the movie aspect of this” line? I was only addressing the part of your [DrDeth’s] statement that it’s not illegal to point a gun at someone. At least in my state, that’s incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2834 "2024-07-11T13:43:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > What’s your point? That’s unrelated to what I said. Why do you think I started off my reply with “Ignoring the movie aspect of this” line? I was only addressing the part of your [DrDeth’s] statement that it’s not illegal to point a gun at someone. At least in my state, that’s incorrect. Well the “ignoring the movie aspect of this” is kind of the whole point. A lot of things that are illegal in public are not in fact illegal on a set or stage. As shocked as I am that live ammo was anywhere near the set, I’m also shocked that real set firearms are functional–seems like it would take a gunsmith about 20 minutes to remove the firing pin (which could be replaced later if desired). ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2835 "2024-07-11T13:56:48Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > I’m also shocked that real set firearms are functional–seems like it would take a gunsmith about 20 minutes to remove the firing pin (which could be replaced later if desired). You usually need a firing pin to fire blanks. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2836 "2024-07-11T15:31:50Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > Well the “ignoring the movie aspect of this” is kind of the whole point. A lot of things that are illegal in public are not in fact illegal on a set or stage. Again, what’s your point? The only thing I was responding to was this line from DrDeth’s post “Basic gun safety rules are important- but they are not law, nor regulation.” That’s it. That’s the entirety of what I quoted and the only thing I was speaking about. What happens on a movie set is entirely unrelated to that. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2837 "2024-07-11T16:18:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The movie industry says “no live ammo on set”. But a spectacularly incompetent newbie armorer let some in. That is her fault, and her fault alone. ^This. How anyone could hold Baldwin responsible escapes me. It’s really tough to see this prosecution as anything other than political. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2838 "2024-07-11T17:14:54Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > How anyone could hold Baldwin responsible escapes me. It’s really tough to see this prosecution as anything other than political. I agree, but I confess I don’t see a political angle either. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2839 "2024-07-11T17:45:37Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I agree, but I confess I don’t see a political angle either. I think the political angle is the common self serving interest of a prosecutor being associated with a high profile trial. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2840 "2024-07-11T19:04:15Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > You usually need a firing pin to fire blanks. True enough, but I think an argument could be made that is this day and age (especially since AIUI blanks don’t provide enough recoil or report to make a shot realistic) foley and CGI should be making the gunplay realistic looking and sounding and even blanks shouldn’t be on a set–they have been lethal as well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2024, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2841 "2024-07-11T20:27:57Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > it should be noted that HAD movie industry standards been actually followed, the victim would still be alive. They weren’t. This isn’t an argument about the standards, it’s negligence on the part of the people who handled the gun BEFORE it was put in Baldwin’s hands. Yep. NO LIVE AMMO ON SET. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > I was only addressing the part of your [DrDeth’s] statement that it’s not illegal to point a gun at someone. At least in my state, that’s incorrect. In film or on stage? I bet it is not. > [@Tride](#): > > I’m also shocked that real set firearms are functional–seems like it would take a gunsmith about 20 minutes to remove the firing pin (which could be replaced later if desired). Not on some older guns. > [@PastTense](#): > > You usually need a firing pin to fire blanks. Yep. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > What happens on a movie set is entirely unrelated to that. No, it’s not, as film and theater, etc are given a pass in the law. I will bet a million quatloos it is against the law to drive like they do in car chase films in your state. But if film or TV crew wants to make a show there , they get a permit, and often even police assistance. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2842 "2024-07-12T06:09:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I think the political angle is the common self serving interest of a prosecutor being associated with a high profile trial … against an arrogant, smug, liberal, rich Hollywood celebrity who mocks and impersonates their Great Leader. I don’t for one minute believe they would have charged a known Trump supporter. Maybe not even a seemingly less arrogant actor. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2843 "2024-07-12T06:13:24Z")
The DA is a Democrat. New Mexico is purple trending blue, and I imagine Santa Fe itself is solid blue: [https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-primary-alec-baldwin-2e042342127a09f1c56358803f28c0a5](https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-primary-alec-baldwin-2e042342127a09f1c56358803f28c0a5) Again, I don’t see the political slant here. Except to the extent that skepticism of industry’s ability to self-regulate (such as by being relied upon to develop its own safety standards that don’t just boil down to “how many people can we kill before we lose money on the deal?”) does tend to coincide with the sort of left-leaning politics you’d find in Santa Fe. A Trumpist stronghold, it is not. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2844 "2024-07-12T06:19:13Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > A Trumpist stronghold, it is not. My mistake on the trumpist part, but I do think that his perceived arrogance (and behavior since the shooting) is influencing why he’s being prosecuted. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2845 "2024-07-12T10:06:43Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > skepticism of industry’s ability to self-regulate (such as by being relied upon to develop its own safety standards The problem here was not the industry rules, the problem was this production not following the industry rules. The industry rules could be every safe gun handling rule or using fake guns that you want, and it wouldn’t have mattered, becauss this production was not obeying the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2846 "2024-07-12T11:35:48Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > I was only addressing the part of your [DrDeth’s] statement that it’s not illegal to point a gun at someone. At least in my state, that’s incorrect. > > In film or on stage? I bet it is not. For fuck’s sake, you must be doing this on purpose now. I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960/2847 "2024-07-12T12:02:04Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Ignoring the movie aspect of this… “Ignoring the movie aspect of this” means off topic and irrelevant to this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960.md?page=140) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alec-baldwin-accidentally-kills-crew-member-with-prop-gun-2021-10-21/952960.md?page=142)