Jonathan Turley: Alec Baldwin shooting – what are the criminal and civil liabilities?

Within 24 hours of actor Alec Baldwin fatally shooting one person and wounding another, witnesses have raised questions of negligent and unsafe practice on the site for the low-budget film, "Rust."

The low-budget description of this production could add to questions of whether precautions or protocols were shorted or ignored on the set.

The question raised most often in the aftermath of the shooting is whether Baldwin could be charged criminally. The answer, in one word, is "yes." However, much depends on the still unfolding facts around this fatal mishap with the prop gun.

There is no indication that Baldwin knew that that prop gun was "live" or that he personally loaded the gun. To the contrary, recent reports indicate that he was handed the gun by an assistant director who reportedly declared "cold gun," or a gun with no live ammunition. That is notable since an earlier recorded message of a crew member complained that the incident was the fault of an assistant director, who was supposed to check the gun.