Criminal defense: It’s hard to imagine that filming a movie could be dangerous and deadly for a film crew. However, dangerous instances do happen and many Georgia residents may be aware that a camera assistant was killed after being hit by a train. The Georgia camera assistant was working on a film, “Midnight Rider,” when tragedy struck. Two filmmakers are facing state criminal charges in connection with her death.
The movie that was being filmed was reportedly about a recording artist named Gregg Allman. The crew was in the middle of filming a dream sequence on the railroad tracks when a train careened into the film crew, killing the camera assistant and injuring 7 other crew members. Authorities believe that the filmmakers should be held liable and charged them with criminal trespassing and manslaughter. Since the charges were filed, the defendants turned themselves into the county jail. They are now in need of good criminal defense lawyers.
Within just 30 minutes, the pair was released on $25,000 bonds. Reportedly, the defendants are pleading not guilty; however, if they are convicted of manslaughter, they could face 10 years in prison. No other details surrounding this case have been released.
Defendants who are arrested for state criminal charges such as manslaughter are faced with adverse consequences if convictions are secured by state prosecutors. One of the primary consequences is being sentenced to spend time in prison. Moreover, Georgia defendants are usually faced with the possibility of other consequences in their personal lives such as lack of employment opportunities and a decent place to live. However, there is a substantial difference between allegations of criminal conduct and actual convictions. Under circumstances where a defendant believes the evidence is too overwhelming on the state’s side, plea negotiations could reduce the severity of sentencing options.
Source: Fox Atlanta, “Georgia filmmakers charged with manslaughter“, Jennifer Bankowski, July 23, 2014
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