Gregg Allman Pens Letter To Biopic Director: Don’t Resume Production

The Gregg Allman Biopic, Midnight Rider, has been beset with it's share of unfortunate circumstances. The death of Sarah Jones, and actors leaving the production has taken a toll. It's being reported that Allman has written a letter to Randall Miller, the projects director asking him not to continue.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the singer sent a letter to Miller that reads, "I am writing to you as one human being to another, and appealing to you from my heart.  I am asking you from a personal perspective not to go forward."

Allman is an executive producer on Midnight Rider, which is based on his 2012 autobiography, My Cross to Bear.

Production on the movie has been suspended since February 20, when a camera assistant named Sarah Jones was killed and several other crew members were injured by a train in Doctortown, Georgia, during the first day of shooting.  Miller reportedly had been planning to resume work on Midnight Rider in the Los Angeles soon, although William Hurt, one of two actors hired to portray Allman, announced this past week that he was dropping out of the project.

In his note to Miller, Gregg points out that he initially was "genuinely excited about the possibility of sharing my story with fans around the world," but his feelings changed shortly after the accident.  Allman explains that "the reality of Sarah Jones' tragic death, the loss suffered by the Jones family and injuries to the others involved has led me to realize that for you to continue production would be wrong."

Allman finishes his written plea to Miller by saying, "Your desires as a filmmaker should not outweigh your obligations as a human being.  I am asking you to do the right thing and to set aside your attempts to resume the production out of respect for Sarah, her family and the loss that all of us feel so deeply."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, local and national authorities are investigating the accident to determine whether any party is legally responsible for Jones' death.  The incident occurred during the filming of a scene on a narrow train trestle bridge that crosses a river.