In a recent interview with The Guardian, Jeff Most, the producer of the 1994 film "The Crow," has defended Alec Baldwin against charges related to a fatal shooting incident on the set of his upcoming Western movie, "Rust." During a rehearsal in October 2021, Baldwin was handling a prop gun that unintentionally discharged, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the wounding of director Joel Souza.
This incident bears a haunting resemblance to the death of Brandon Lee, who was fatally shot on the set of "The Crow" under similar circumstances nearly 30 years ago. Most expressed dismay over the lack of safety improvements in film production regarding the use of prop firearms since then.
Prosecutors have renewed involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin in January, citing new evidence, despite initially dismissing charges last year. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to these charges. Additionally, "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Hutchins’s death and received an 18-month maximum prison sentence.
Most highlighted his concern about holding actors responsible for on-set safety concerning weapons, pointing out that the responsibility should lie elsewhere. Alec Baldwin continues to maintain that he did not pull the trigger of the gun that killed Hutchins. Baldwin currently remains free pending trial under specific conditions, facing a possible sentence similar to Gutierrez-Reed if found guilty.