I was going to add my two cents on the Alec Baldwin shooting, but then I found this at Legal Insurrection Blog, by Andrew Branca. He has covered it better than I could.
The only thing I can add is that Baldwin has a long antigun history. This could bite him in the ass in two circumstances. His statements regarding the dangers inherent in firearms would seem to undermine any defense that begins with, “But I didn’t know…” Second, many actors faced with the prospect of handling firearms for a role made the effort to learn about handling firearms. Keanu Reeves comes to mind. But did you know about Sammy Davis Jr?
If you asked the average person who the fastest gun among movie and television stars was, he or she might reply with an actor best known for Westerns, someone such as John Wayne, Randolph Scott, or James Arness. In truth the fastest guns in Hollywood were performers who aren’t generally associated with Westerns. Reportedly the fastest gun in all of Hollywood was none other than comedian Jerry Lewis. Not far behind him was actor, singer, dancer, and comedian Sammy Davis Jr.
Sammy Davis Jr. was taught in the quick draw by Arvo Ojala, a stuntman and marksman who was an expert in the subject. Among other things Mr. Ojala was the gunfighter who was shot down by Marshal Matt Dillon in the original opening of each episode of Gunsmoke. In truth, Arvo Ojala could have beaten Marshal Dillon with ease. Over the years Mr. Ojala would train many stars in the fast draw, including James Arness, Robert Culp, James Garner, Paul Newman, Hugh O’Brien, and Clint Walker, among others.
As it turns out, Arvo Ojala trained Sammy Davis Jr. very well. Reportedly Mr. Davis could draw a gun between 4/10ths and 4.5/10ths of a second. While Sammy Davis Jr. did not appear in very many Western movies (Gone with the West from 1974 is it), he did get the opportunity to display his fast gun skills on such TV Westerns as Zane Gray Theatre, Lawman, and The Rifleman. He also demonstrated his skill with a gun on various talk shows over the years.
http://mercurie.blogspot.com/2019/02/sammy-davis-jr-one-of-fastest-guns-in.html?m=1
Did you know? – The Campfire – CouesWhitetail.com Discussion forum
Did Baldwin’s antigun stance prevent his from acquiring basic skills in handling firearms and firearms safety? Another issue is that Baldwin is an admitted drug abuser and alcoholic. Federal law prohibits drug addicts and alcoholics from possessing firearms.
