SAG-AFTRA release statement in defence of Alec Baldwin
SAG-AFTRA have released a statement defending Alec Baldwin following his involuntary manslaughter charge for the shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
A grand jury in New Mexico indicted the actor last week, and Baldwin has maintained he only ever drew back the hammer of the pistol, not the trigger.
But new evidence came to light when a team of forensic experts reconstructed the gun, concluding that it couldn’t have been fired without pressing the trigger.
In a statement, SAG-AFTRA sympathised with Baldwin, saying it was not an actor’s job to be a firearms or weapons expert. “Performers train to perform, and they are not required or expected to be experts on guns or experienced in their use,” they said.
“The industry assigns that responsibility to qualified professionals who oversee their use and handling in every aspect.” The on-set armourer for Rust, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering, with a trial scheduled for February.
“Firearms are provided for use on set under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm,” the union statement continued, citing bulletins from the Industry Standards for Safety provided by the Joint Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Commission.
“The guidelines require an experienced, qualified armourer 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’.”
They concluded that the guidelines do not make it the performer’s responsibility to check any firearm use on set, saying: “Anyone issued a firearm on set must be given training and guidance in its safe handling and use, but all activity with firearms on a set must be under the careful supervision and control of the professional armourer and the employer.”
Baldwin’s court date has been set for next month, with his attorneys saying: “We look forward to our day in court.”
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