SAG-AFTRA Defends Alec Baldwin, Says ‘Rust’ Shooting Charges Against Him Are “Wrong & Uninformed”
20.01.2023 - 02:07
/ deadline.com
SAG-AFTRA on Thursday came to the defense of Alec Baldwin, who is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust. The guild said that the charges against him are “wrong and uninformed,” and that it is the responsibility of producers, not performers, to ensure safety on the set.
“The death of Halyna Hutchins is a tragedy, and all the more so because of its preventable nature. It is not a failure of duty or a criminal act on the part of any performer,” the guild said in a statement today.
“The prosecutor’s contention that an actor has a duty to ensure the functional and mechanical operation of a firearm on a production set is wrong and uninformed. An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert. Firearms are provided for their use under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm. In addition, the employer is always responsible for providing a safe work environment at all times, including hiring and supervising the work of professionals trained in weapons.
“The Industry Standards for safety with firearms and use of blank ammunition are clearly laid out in Safety Bulletin 1, provided by the Joint Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Commission. The guidelines require an experienced, qualified armorer to be put in charge of all handling, use, and safekeeping of firearms on set. These duties include ‘inspecting the firearm and barrel before and after every firing sequence,’ and ‘checking all firearms before each use.’
“The guidelines do not make it the performer’s responsibility to check any firearm. Performers train to perform, and
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