The Alec Baldwin Trial

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

Looks like some bullets/cartridges were delivered to the DA's office as evidence. They were not revealed to the defense.

But...the pictures of that evidence was filed under another case number, and the special prosecutor knew.

She knew, and didn't disclose to the defense.

The co-special counsel resigned from the case in the middle of discover of all this shit. "What? I'm outta here, NOW!"

There are several, many, civil cases against Baldwin still outstanding.

This has an OJ vibe to it.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

What really pisses me off is that there is no doubt in my mind that Baldwin is guilty of the charges. To have his case thrown out on a Brady violation is disgusting.

Would the defense having access to this information have changed anything?

Would there still have been a live round in his revolver? Yeah.

And Hutchins would still be dead.

89th

The judge was pissed at the prosecution. The armorer may get out of jail too.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

Morrissey, the prosecutor claims that she knew nothing of this evidence being "hidden" from the defense. Apparently, some guy showed up at the DA's and delivered 3 bullets which he claimed were from the set of "Rust." The cops inspected the bullets, and determined they were not the same type as on the set.

It is not up to the state to determine whether a piece of evidence is relevant or not - that's up to the defense. It was not revealed to the defense, and this is a Brady violation and the charges are dismissed.

As I've said, the truth has little to do with justice, and justice has little to do with the law.

jon-nyc

@George-K said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

As I've said, the truth has little to do with justice, and justice has little to do with the law.

Which is ultimately why I’m not in favor of the death penalty. I don’t have a moral problem with it just a practical one.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@jon-nyc I've been geeking out with the YouTube lawyers on this (and other) case. One of them commented that this kind of shit happens ALL THE TIME, and if the defendant were someone named Bozo McStupid, and he couldn't afford these lawyers, he'd be behind bars.

Of note, Erlinda Johnson, who was co-counsel with Morrissey (the main prosecutor) resigned from the case at lunchtime. She was not aware of this Brady violation and felt that, in good conscience, she could not continue with the prosecution.

Jolly

@George-K said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

One of them commented that this kind of shit happens ALL THE TIME, and if the defendant were someone named Bozo McStupid, and he couldn't afford these lawyers, he'd be behind bars.

As is well known, I'm in favor of the death penalty. I don't even mind an express lane.

But I also believe in fair representation at trial. Money should not buy Justice. I'm not sure what the solution should be, limiting the resources of government or an extreme overhaul of the public defender system, but everybody deserves equal justice under the law.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

Was the law served? Yes. But, the law is an ass.

Was justice served? No. How and whether a live round made its way onto the set of "Rust" should have no bearing on the facts that..

Hutchins was killed
She was killed by a bullet
The bullet was fired from a gun held by Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin pointed the gun in her direction and pulled the trigger.

As one attorney commented, in a vehicular homicide case, where the accused bought the gas is ultimately irrelevant.

Doctor Phibes

@George-K said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

Of note, Erlinda Johnson, who was co-counsel with Morrissey (the main prosecutor) resigned from the case at lunchtime. She was not aware of this Brady violation and felt that, in good conscience, she could not continue with the prosecution.

Do we know why she resigned?

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

Do we know why she resigned?

Yes.

She gave an interview with Chris Cuomo. She said that she knew nothing of the late discovery of this additional evidence which was allegedly withheld from the defense and couldn't, in good conscience, continue.

Morrissey, the special prosecutor claimed that it was because she objected to today's hearing public. Johnson feels otherwise, and she should know.

Jolly

@George-K said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

Was the law served? Yes. But, the law is an ass.

Was justice served? No. How and whether a live round made its way onto the set of "Rust" should have no bearing on the facts that..

Hutchins was killed

She was killed by a bullet

The bullet was fired from a gun held by Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin pointed the gun in her direction and pulled the trigger.

As one attorney commented, in a vehicular homicide case, where the accused bought the gas is ultimately irrelevant.

Yes, but in a vehicular homicide case, a person is operating a vehicle. The person knows that improper operation can cause injury or death. In Baldwin's case, he is handling what he believes to be a firearm loaded with a prop blank, firing the handgun in a movie scene. Yes, it's sloppy gun handling to point a firearm, loaded or unloaded, at somebody, but that's not the main point.

In the case, the movie armorer is at fault.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

@Jolly said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

In Baldwin's case, he is handling what he believes to be a firearm loaded with a prop blank, firing the handgun in a movie scene. Yes, it's sloppy gun handling to point a firearm, loaded or unloaded, at somebody, but that's not the main point.

No question that the armorer is at fault. However, SAG guidelines specifically state that an actor has to ensure that a firearm is safe, personally. Not rely on someone else's word on it.

Aslo, as I think I mentioned, the "I didn't know it was loaded" defense doesn't fly according to the NM Supreme Court.

George K · "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

Someone asked the question: "If Alec Baldwin had been told it's a 'cold' gun, would he put it to his head and pressed the trigger without personally checking it?"

Jolly

@George-K said in The Alec Baldwin Trial:

Someone asked the question: "If Alec Baldwin had been told it's a 'cold' gun, would he put it to his head and pressed the trigger without personally checking it?"

Mr. Lee did it.

Jolly

Yeah, and if I checked every abnormal machine diff specified by most laboratory guidelines, the TAT on a CBC would be 4 hours. So, one prudently observes the guidelines and ignores them under some circumstances. But that presumes the person reading the hemogram knows what he is doing.

The SAG rule is the SAG rule. How many actors know how to press check a 1911? Look for the loaded indicator on a MP5? Most guys don't. The wife was watching one of those Hallmark mystery things the other night and the "detective" was waving his Glock around - with his finger in the trigger guard - like a drunken sailor. In real life, it's not a matter of whether the guns goes off in an accidental discharge, it's a matter of when it happens.

Granted, a Peacemaker is not a Glock or a 1911, but there's still a definitive way to check to see if it's loaded, and there is a very specific way to make sure it's carried with an empty chamber under the hammer (the Colt Army has no fire pin block). I don't expect a novice to know the correct manual of arms for a Colt 45 revolver.