"I didn't pull the trigger.": Alec Baldwin claims he only pulled the hammer back... and then let it go. What say you gun experts... did he shoot the lady? Did he discharge the gun? We...

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

Alec Baldwin claims he only pulled the hammer back... and then let it go.

What say you gun experts... did he shoot the lady? Did he discharge the gun? We all know it was not intentional on his part, but does he bear responsibility? Or is this a good defence?

btbg

JohnFrim wrote:

Alec Baldwin claims he only pulled the hammer back... and then let it go.

What say you gun experts... did he shoot the lady? Did he discharge the gun? We all know it was not intentional on his part, but does he bear responsibility? Or is this a good defence?

You don't point guns at people and pull the hammer back. Of course he is partially responsible.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Depends on the particular firearm. Some will not allow the hammer to strike the firing pin unless your finger is on the trigger.
Other can be fired by striking the hammer- that's why some of the older revolvers were carried with an empty chamber.
Having live ammo on the set is beyond stupid, its criminal.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

btbg wrote:

You don't point guns at people and pull the hammer back. Of course he is partially responsible.

You didn't watch the interview.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Revolvers allow you to shoot the weapon double action, I.e., when you pull the trigger two things happen, the hammer moves into the cocked position and the hammer is released to strike the primer of the ammunition. Revolvers also allow you to shoot the weapon single action, I.e., while pointed at the target, you use your thumb to pull the hammer back until it locks and then squeeze the trigger to release the hammer. The single action method trigger pull takes about half of the force of the double action trigger pull to drop the hammer, it allows you to hold the weapon steadier right before the round is released. If you are pointing the weapon at the target and pull the hammer back to the point right before the lock position and release your thumb or it slips from your thumb, the weapon will fire.

D.E.Kells Loc: Central OHIO

joehel2 wrote:

Revolvers allow you to shoot the weapon double act... (show quote)

Sometimes, I have several different revolvers, some will and some will-not.

Kraken Loc: Barry's Bay

joehel2 wrote:

Revolvers allow you to shoot the weapon double act... (show quote)

That is true, I know it happened to me. My thumb slipped

off the hammer and a round went off. Fortunately, I was

at the shooting range and the round went towards the target.

D.E.Kells Loc: Central OHIO

Kraken wrote:

That is true, I know it happened to me. My thumb slipped

off the hammer and a round went off. Fortunately, I was

at the shooting range and the round went towards the target.

Lucky you

Rose42

JohnFrim wrote:

Alec Baldwin claims he only pulled the hammer back... and then let it go.

What say you gun experts... did he shoot the lady? Did he discharge the gun? We all know it was not intentional on his part, but does he bear responsibility? Or is this a good defence?

How does he not bear some responsibility?

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Rose42 wrote:

How does he not bear some responsibility?

He does bear responsibility. He should not giving public interviews at this juncture of the investigation. Dumb.

Rose42

Kmgw9v wrote:

He does bear responsibility. He should not giving public interviews at this juncture of the investigation. Dumb.

Agreed. He should keep his mouth shut so he doesn’t say anything that could be used against him.

Regardless of what happens this will haunt him for the rest of his life.

hondo812 Loc: Massachusetts

JohnFrim wrote:

Alec Baldwin claims he only pulled the hammer back... and then let it go.

What say you gun experts... did he shoot the lady? Did he discharge the gun? We all know it was not intentional on his part, but does he bear responsibility? Or is this a good defence?

I'm no lawyer. I do recall taking a criminal law course in High School though.

Malice aforethought - You intentend to do bodily harm/k**l. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing.

Now does Baldwin meet that requirement? Who knows? I haven't seen any published details to suggest that but that does not mean much. That is why they investigate.

Voluntary manslaughter - is the act of intentionally k*****g a person, but without a premeditated or planned intent to commit the crime.

involuntary manslaughter - is the act of k*****g of a person but without intent.

It would seem to me that he meets this last one. He may not have intended to k**l her but she's still just as dead and he is responsible.

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

It still goes back to the question of how and who brought LIVE ammunition onto the Rust movie set?

Without that LIVE ammunition, there likely wouldn't have been a death.

Who loaded the gun which discharged the LIVE ammunition?

Who FAILED to diligently check the gun which was handed to Alec Baldwin?

There were multiple safety precaution failures which occurred BEFORE Alec Baldwin was handed that gun.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Kmgw9v wrote:

He does bear responsibility. He should not giving public interviews at this juncture of the investigation. Dumb.

As a likely defendant, he shouldn't give interviews. As someone who lives in the public eye, it may very well be in his best interest to do interviews. It's up to him to juggle these conflicting interests.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Rose42 wrote:

Agreed. He should keep his mouth shut so he doesn’t say anything that could be used against him.

Regardless of what happens this will haunt him for the rest of his life.

To late. He has locked himself into what he said at the interviews, which will be played at his trial.