You can bet there will be lawsuits.
The lawyers will first look at the liability limits of the insurance policy issued for the filming.
Next they look at contractors. Because they can sue them individually outside the liability of the insurance policy. Who the armorer was actually working for, was she a business contracted? Same with who supplied the guns, blanks, and ammo.
They'll be looking at the production company, and who owned it.
They may even look at the landowner.
I don't think I'd hold my breath for criminal convictions. Maybe, but probably not. ...
Brother, you ain't kidding about the lawsuits. I read on an industry site today where the woman who was script supervisor has already hired that bottom feeding ambulance chasing Gloria Allred to represent her. Probably go for "horrendous and unremitting mental anguish. Ten million, please."
Those entities you listed will definitely be on the hook for big bucks.
Also read that the RUST production company had a liability insurance policy for only $6,000,000.00. That is only going to be a drop in the bucket as to the amount various plaintiffs sue the company, producers, Baldwin, and various others who had any kind of responsibility on the flick. The civil court cases are going to go on for a long time, too.
As for any criminal liability, I think it'll depend on a number of factors as determined by the reports of the S.F. Sheriff's homicide investigators. Such as, did Baldwin's deliberate act of cocking the revolver, aiming at the woman, deliberately pulling the trigger, result in "reckless endangerment," "negligent homicide," or "manslaughter 2?" Big "maybe" there.
Also,
if it could be proved that whomever was using the revolver to "plink" during lunch hour,
deliberately left a live cartridge in the revolver, knowing full well it would be used in a shooting by the actor, the dude will be up to his ass in alligators. Or, if it can be proved "someone" deliberately placed a cartridge in the revolver's cylinder after it was used and placed on the firearms cart. Same charges. Another big "maybe."
All this will hinge on SFSO detectives' reports, and the willingness of the SF DA to prosecute anyone criminally. We'll have to wait and see.
Hell, I'm a geezer. I may not live long enough to see the end of all the lawsuits filed in this tragic incident.
L.W.
