The FBI examined the firearm and it was working properly. So there is no way it just went off.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
Is anyone truly surprised by this?

Yes. I was legitimately surprised as well. No jail time? No, wouldn't have been surprised. A reduced charge? No, not surprising. An acquittal? No, that wouldn't surprise me either. But all charges summarily dropped as Alec rolls in with a film crew with near future plans to continue shooting the movie? Yeah, the shameless state of it all actually caught me off guard a bit today. I wasn't expecting that, all charges dropped for an obvious bullshit reason. It's gross sophistry.

quote:

we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident

Alec Baldwin needs to be hounded everywhere, and tormented every day for the rest of his miserable existence, for shooting death Halyna Hutchins!

I think it would be hilarious if Baldwin sued the jurisdiction, whatever it is, for bringing a false charge when they clearly knew the gun malfunctioned from the git. It's not like he didn't tell them.

Just Fuck.

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
The FBI examined the firearm and it was working properly. So there is no way it just went off.

Don’t logic and fact us!

I can't believe it. I thought the DA was going to prosecute.

https://www.santafenewmexican....b8-79e592d6a767.html

[snip]The new evidence, the source said, centers on the revolver that discharged a live round while Baldwin was holding it, its bullet striking Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. The weapon had at some point been fitted with a new hammer, calling into question previous conclusions from the FBI that the weapon could not have fired without the trigger being pulled, the source added.



The case against Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who faces the same fourth-degree felony charge Baldwin was charged with — will proceed as scheduled with a two week preliminary hearing slated to begin next month, the source said. [snip]


Doesn't make sense.

.

quote:

Doesn't make sense.

Yes, it does. Shit flows downhill.

Someone has to take the fall; she's the bottom rung on the ladder.

quote:

Originally posted by Greymann:
I can't believe it. I thought the DA was going to prosecute.

https://www.santafenewmexican....b8-79e592d6a767.html

[snip]The new evidence, the source said, centers on the revolver that discharged a live round while Baldwin was holding it, its bullet striking Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. The weapon had at some point been fitted with a new hammer, calling into question previous conclusions from the FBI that the weapon could not have fired without the trigger being pulled, the source added.



The case against Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who faces the same fourth-degree felony charge Baldwin was charged with — will proceed as scheduled with a two week preliminary hearing slated to begin next month, the source said. [snip]


Doesn't make sense.

.

Makes perfect sense the armorer is a nobody, perfect to take the fall, Baldwin walks, how many behind the scenes moves were made. The armorer doesn't have the connections an A lister like Baldwin has or the money to defend or pay off like Baldwin. Sucks.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Yes, I'm surprised by it.

I, likewise, am surprised by it. In fact I'd go so far as to say astonished.

Didn't the FBI lab examine the weapon thoroughly and determine it was functioning perfectly, as-designed? Did they not pronounce the weapon could not have fired without the trigger having been pulled?

WTAF?!?!

Para,

Politics is big in NM, who you know means a lot. Gotta make nice with the Hollywood types around Santa Fe.

Lived there in the 80’s, my observations were from that era.

Did you read my post?

Special prosecutors warn charges could be refiled against Alec Baldwin in ‘Rust’ case

The special prosecutors in the Alec Baldwin case warned charges could be refiled against the star actor over the 2021 fatal shooting on the movie set of “Rust” after they were dropped Thursday.

Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, special prosecutors from New Mexico, said the dropped charges don’t “absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability” and that additional charges could possibly be brought against him the actor.

“Our follow-up investigation will remain active and on-going,” Morrissey and Lewis said in a statement.

The special prosecutors said their decision to dump the charges for now come after new facts were revealed that call for more probing and forensic analysis that would take too long before a May 3 preliminary hearing.

“Consequently, we cannot proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form,” Morrissey and Lewis said.

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter over the Oct. 21, 2021 fatal shooting of 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins in New Mexico. He pleaded not guilty to the charges brought forward by the Santa Fe district attorney.

In a statement to The Post, Baldwin’s lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said Thursday, “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident.”

A second person accused of involuntary manslaughter alongside Baldwin, the film’s former armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is still facing charges in the shooting.

https://nypost.com/2023/04/20/...campaign=android_nyp

Yes I did. And I believe that the state’s film office will not do anything to alienate the movie industry that brought in 856 million dollars last year.

The state’s film industry incentive is being challenged by four Republicans in the state House, I predict that challenge will go nowhere in the Democratic controlled House,Senate and Executive branch.

And I agree with what spunk639 said in the last paragraph. There may be a fall guy but not Alec.

I'm not talking about New Mexico or fall guys or Alec Baldwin or the movie industry or Republicans.

Try reading it again:

quote:

This attitude of suggesting- after the fact- that you knew this was going to happen- it's tired. This adoption of the attitude that we can never win and there is no justice and everything turns into shit- I don't want to be around people like that. It's depressing as all get-out to hear people predict defeat, and when things go wrong, to behave as if anyone who held out hope for a positive outcome is a Goddamned fool.

Time and again over the years in this forum, I have said the same thing and I'll say it as often as I need to for members to understand that I don't want to be around defeatists, or those who feel like they have some special vision that others do not possess, to see the future, and who tell us about it after the fact.

Some further details on the possible modifications to the .45 Colt revolver. There's some evidence that the safety notches were altered, making it somewhat more plausible that Baldwin never pulled the trigger as he has stated, but may have pulled the hammer further back than he thought, far enough to ignite a round upon release.

quote:

"The modification appears to be related to the notches on the internal portion of the hammer for full cock, half cock and quarter cock positions," prosecutors said in documents filed on Wednesday asking a judge to authorize transfer of the revolver, ammunition and a jacket belonging to the film’s weapons handler for forensic testing.

It appears that these notches may have been partially removed or ground down so that they are less prominent."

Prosecutors said additional testing was required to see if the hammer was modified, the source of the modification and what impact it might have on the firearm's performance.

Reuters

However, as I've said before, I really don't see how this justifies the dropping of charges. He still handled a firearm without personally checking it = negligence. Just as it looked like justice would be served and an example made, the case gets bungled, and an innocent person's death becomes meaningless.

--------------------

In other Rusty news, Alec Baldwin, having completed production on Rust, is already working on his next project... Baldwin to star in a film about the Kent State shooting.

Nope, not buying it.

And he pointed the revolver right at someone. If Baldwin thinks redemption is in his future, he is as wrong as he can be. He killed that poor woman. End of story

That article is such a bunch of bullshit. They even point out that the FBI said there's nothing wrong with it. How could the DA make this statement knowing what the FBI said.

quote:

An FBI test of the gun found it would not fire unless the trigger was pulled. Baldwin said he never pulled the trigger.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
Some further details on the possible modifications to the .45 Colt revolver. There's some evidence that the safety notches were altered, making it somewhat more plausible that Baldwin never pulled the trigger as he has stated, but may have pulled the hammer further back than he thought, far enough to ignite a round upon release.

quote:

"The modification appears to be related to the notches on the internal portion of the hammer for full cock, half cock and quarter cock positions," prosecutors said in documents filed on Wednesday asking a judge to authorize transfer of the revolver, ammunition and a jacket belonging to the film’s weapons handler for forensic testing.

It appears that these notches may have been partially removed or ground down so that they are less prominent."

Prosecutors said additional testing was required to see if the hammer was modified, the source of the modification and what impact it might have on the firearm's performance.

Reuters

However, as I've said before, I really don't see how this justifies the dropping of charges. He still handled a firearm without personally checking it = negligence. Just as it looked like justice would be served and an example made, the case gets bungled, and an innocent person's death becomes meaningless.

--------------------

In other Rusty news, Alec Baldwin, having completed production on Rust, is already working on his next project... Baldwin to star in a film about the Kent State shooting.

I agree that it doesn't really change anything... he still pointed an unverified weapon at a person.

But from the earlier post from the prosecutors it doesn't seem that they are saying it changes anything, they simply said they need more time to correctly and properly handle the case in light of the new revelations. In fact, it seems to this uneducated schlub, to be the most responsible action.

It is preferable to put it off (via dropping of charges) and avoiding a complication that could result a miscarriage of justice down the line.

Best to do it right. Measure twice, cut once sort of thing.

I still think they'll get him later.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaql:
That article is such a bunch of bullshit. They even point out that the FBI said there's nothing wrong with it. How could the DA make this statement knowing what the FBI said.

quote:

An FBI test of the gun found it would not fire unless the trigger was pulled. Baldwin said he never pulled the trigger.

I don't know why anybody here assumes the FBI is doing their job correctly... whether that job be determining the functionality of that gun or communicating information to media. I don't trust them to do either correctly or honestly. Quite the opposite.

^Absolutely agree, and I also hope that the prosecution (whoever it is at this point) is simply regrouping to build a better case.

Not over yet...

Prosecutors Say They Will Charge Alec Baldwin Again if Gun Was Working During ‘Rust’ Shooting

New Mexico prosecutors say they will file new charges against Alec Baldwin if further testing shows that his gun was working at the time of the “Rust” shooting...

The FBI analyzed the gun last year, and broke it during a test firing. In a recent court filing, Morrissey and Lewis said that the gun has been sent to an independent expert for further testing...

“If it is determined that the gun did not malfunction, charges against Mr. Baldwin will proceed,” the prosecutors wrote...

A decision is expected within 60 days.

------------------------

In related news, prosecutors believe that armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was hung over from an evening of drinking and marijuana when she loaded Baldwin's gun. There is also some speculation that there was tampering of evidence before authorities arrived on-scene.

“Witnesses in the current case will testify that Defendant Gutierrez was drinking heavily and smoking marijuana in the evenings during the shooting of ‘Rust,'” the prosecutors wrote. “It is likely that Defendant Gutierrez was hung over when she inserted a live bullet into a gun that she knew was going to be used at some point by an actor while filming a shooting scene with other actors and crew members. The crime of involuntary manslaughter was designed specifically for this type of circumstance.”

Variety