Alec Baldwin to be charged with manslaughter in set shooting

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors stated Thursday that actor Alec Baldwin and a firearms expert would face involuntary manslaughter charges in the shooting death of a cameraman who was slain on a New Mexico film set.

Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who oversaw the use of guns on the “Rust” film set, have been charged, according to a statement from Santa Fe district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.

On October 21, 2021, Halyna Hutchins was hurt while performing at a ranch outside of Santa Fe, and she passed away shortly after. Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza, the director, was injured when Baldwin’s revolver went off while he was aiming it at Hutchins.

According to the district attorney’s office, assistant director David Halls, who gave Baldwin the gun, has agreed to enter a guilty plea to careless use of a deadly weapon.

When someone is killed while acting recklessly or carelessly while engaging in a legal but dangerous activity, it may be considered involuntary manslaughter.

According to New Mexico law, the offence is a fourth-degree felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Due to the fact that the crime was committed with a gun, the charges additionally include a clause that might result in a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

Hutchins’ death was initially investigated by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, who noted “a degree of carelessness” on the set. However, after handing the findings of a one-year probe to prosecutors in October, he deferred to their judgement regarding any potential criminal charges. That report omitted information on how live ammo got into the movie set.

Baldwin, who is well-known for his work on “Saturday Night Live,” “The Hunt for Red October,” and “30 Rock,” as well as his portrayal of former President Donald Trump, has called the death a “tragic accident.”

He sued those responsible for handling and providing the loaded rifle that was given to him in an effort to clear his identity. The pistol was believed to be safe, according to Baldwin, who is also a co-producer on “Rust.”

In his lawsuit, Baldwin claimed that when he and Hutchins were practising camera angles for a scene, he pointed the gun in her direction, pulled back, and let go of the trigger, causing the weapon to discharge.

After an autopsy was finished and a review of police reports, New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator concluded that the gunshot was an accident.

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