Exclusive: Prosecutors in the Midnight Rider trial, set to begin March 9, are looking to become the first ever to convict filmmakers on manslaughter charges. In the 100 years between the death of Sarah Jones and the first film-related deaths — on July 1, 1914, when 16-year-old actress Grace McHugh drowned and cameraman Owen Carter died trying to rescue her while filming a scene for the movie Across The Border – more than 80 people have died in 52 fatal accidents while filming in the U.S. Only two resulted in indictments, none in convictions.
The last time a manslaughter case went before a jury was nearly 30 years ago, in the infamous Twilight Zone case, which ended in the acquittals of director John Landis and four co-defendants. “It was a very difficult case to prosecute,” Lea D’Agostino, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the Twilight Zone case, later said. “You didn’t have people who went in maliciously to do something.
The last time a manslaughter case went before a jury was nearly 30 years ago, in the infamous Twilight Zone case, which ended in the acquittals of director John Landis and four co-defendants. “It was a very difficult case to prosecute,” Lea D’Agostino, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the Twilight Zone case, later said. “You didn’t have people who went in maliciously to do something.
- 2/3/2015
- by David Robb
- Deadline
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.