‘Midnight Rider’ Assistant Director Wants Set Death Charges Dropped

Midnight Rider assistant director Hillary Schwartz has filed legal papers asking a judge to drop the criminal charges brought against her in connection with the death of Sarah Jones on the set of the Allman brothers biopic.

Schwartz, director Randall Miller, and producers Jody Savin and Jay Sedrish were all hit with charges of involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass after camera assistant Jones was killed by an oncoming train as she filmed footage on a trestle in Georgia in February.

All four parties pleaded not guilty and a trial is set for March 9, but Schwartz wants to be dropped from the proceedings.

Her attorney filed court documents on Monday asking for the charges to be dismissed, claiming prosecutors interviewed her under the pretense that she was a witness, not a suspect.

According to her lawyers, prosecutors had promised Schwartz immunity if she returned to Georgia to cooperate with their questioning.

Production on the movie was halted following the incident. All four parties also face a civil lawsuit from Jones’ parents.

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