Deadline nears for Alec Baldwin in deadly movie set shooting
SANTA FE, NM (AP) — Prosecutors on Tuesday planned to file a manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of a cameraman by actor Alec Baldwin during a rehearsal on the set of a western film in 2021.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died shortly after being wounded at a film set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021. Baldwin was leveling a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the film’s director.
In recent weeks, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has filed two involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting of Baldwin and Weapons Commission Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.
The district attorney said Monday through a spokeswoman that her office would issue indictment documents and a probable cause statement outlining the evidence. Hutchins’ death has already prompted new safety precautions in the film industry.
Manslaughter by negligence can include killing that occurs while a suspect is doing something lawful but dangerous and is acting carelessly or carelessly. Special Prosecutor Andrea Reeb cited a pattern of “criminal disregard for safety” on the set of Rust.
Prosecutors also said they will release the terms of a signed agreement with assistant director David Halls, who oversaw security on set. Participants in the unfilmed rehearsal have given conflicting accounts as to who gave the gun to Baldwin.
Halls has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon, they said.
Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for prosecutors, said in a statement Monday that prosecutors are “fully focused on ensuring justice for Halyna Hutchins” and “the evidence and facts speak for themselves.”
Baldwin, also co-producer of Rust, has called the murder a tragic accident. The 64-year-old actor said he was told the gun was safe and tried to clear his name by suing people involved in the handling and delivery of the loaded .45 caliber revolver.
In his lawsuit, Baldwin said that while he was working with Hutchins on camera angles, he pointed the gun in her direction and backed away, releasing the hammer of the gun, which discharged.
Defense attorney Jason Bowles, representing Gutierrez-Reed, said the charges were the result of “flawed investigation” and an “improper understanding of the full facts.”
Defendants can attend many first trials remotely or request a waiver of their first appearance.
Involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine under New Mexico law. The second set of manslaughter charges alleges recklessness with a provision that could result in a mandatory five-year sentence because the offense was committed with a gun.
The decision to indict Baldwin marks a stunning turn of events for an A-list actor whose 40-year career has spanned early blockbuster The Hunt for Red October and a starring role on sitcom 30 Rock, as well as iconic appearances in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and a film adaptation of David Mamet’s Glengary Glen Ross. In recent years, Baldwin has been known for his impression of ex-President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.
