Sarah Jones Death: 'Midnight Rider' Manslaughter Conviction Woud Make History [VIDEO]
The death of Sarah Jones could lead to the first manslaughter conviction ever for filmmakers in the United States.
'The Vampire Diaries' Pays Tribute To Sarah Jones
On Tuesday Deadline announced that prosecutors will make the claim that Midnight Rider filmmakers likely knew the risks of shooting on the tracks in Wayne County, Ga. when they put camera assistant Sarah Jones there during production. The charges have been filed against director Randall Miller, producer Jody Savin, executive producer Jay Sedrish and assistant director Hillary Schwartz.
Jones was killed in 2014 after she and 20 others were crowded on the trestle during production in Georgia. A bed had been placed across the tracks for the scene they were filming. When a train came down the tracks, Jones was hit by the bed and knocked into the train.
"The train hit the bed and the bed hit her and slung her into the train," explained Ted Mathis, Wayne County's deputy coroner. "The train hit the foot of the bed and the head of the bed is what sent her into the train."
In the last 100 years, over 80 people have died on set in the motion picture industry. For the 80 deaths, only two indictments were handed down by the government. No convictions were ever made.
Jones had been a frequent fixture on the set of many films and television programs. Her death rocked the industry, sparking the Safety For Sarah walk and campaign.
On Jan. 26 Sarah's parents, Elizabeth and Richard Jones, shared with Deadline the safety PSA they'd developed in memory of their daughter.
"Part of our hope is to continue awareness, to continue education," explained Sarah's mother. "And that in ten years that if someone hears Sarah Jones they are going to know what happened and what we've done since."
The case against the Midnight Rider filmmakers will go to trial on March 9.
