Actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons expert have been formally charged with manslaughter in the shooting of a cinematographer on a movie set in New Mexico.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwis has filed an indictment naming Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who oversaw the weapons on the set of the western movie “Lust.”
Halina Hutchins died shortly after being injured during a rehearsal at her ranch outside Santa Fe on October 21, 2021.
Prosecutors say Baldwin’s involvement as a producer and the person who fired the gun influenced the decision to prosecute.
Tuesday’s filing comes nearly two weeks after prosecutor Carmack-Altwies first announced that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed would be indicted for what officials described as a pattern of criminal disregard for safety. will be split. In recent weeks, she has outlined two sets of involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting.
The manslaughter charge against Baldwin includes alternative standards and sanctions. He would be charged with manslaughter for reckless disregard for safety “without due diligence and precautions.”
A probable cause statement outlining the evidence against Baldwin alleges numerous instances of “extremely reckless conduct,” or reckless failure to take precautions in the days and minutes leading up to the fatal shooting. .
Investigators say Baldwin took a revolver from its holster and aimed it at Hutchins, firing the weapon when industry standards should have used a plastic or replica gun.
The statement also said photos and videos from the rehearsal, including the moment before the fatal shot, showed Baldwin placing his finger inside the trigger guard and on the trigger while “manipulating” the pistol’s hammer. is shown, and the FBI’s analysis is that the pistol fired without pulling the trigger.
Investigators say Baldwin was unable to attend mandatory firearms training prior to filming and had not fully completed his on-set training while he was distracted by phone calls to his family. , cites several violations of required safety checks and protocols when the gun was loaded and delivered to Baldwin.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty and have said they will respond to charges.
Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, declined to comment on Tuesday, referring to his earlier statements regarding the case.
“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was live ammunition anywhere in the gun or on the movie set. “He relied on the experts he worked with.”
A lawyer for Gutierrez-Reed said he would issue a statement later.
Hutchins’ death has already brought new safety measures to the film industry.
Carmack-Altwies told the Associated Press in a Jan. 19 interview that the set was “pretty fast and loose.” She said Baldwin should have known there had been a previous misfire on set and multiple people had raised safety concerns.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are issued subpoenas to appear in court. The prosecutor waives the grand jury and relies on the judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to move to trial. A decision may take up to 60 days.
Involuntary manslaughter can involve killings that occur while the accused acted negligently or carelessly while doing something lawful but dangerous.
Prosecutors say a proposed plea bargain, signed by the film’s assistant director David Halls, who oversaw the safety of the set, has not yet been approved by a judge and cannot be released.
Prosecutors have previously said that Halls agreed to plead guilty to lethal weapons negligence. I say yes.
District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Heather Brewer said in a statement Monday that prosecutors are “very committed to ensuring justice for Halina Hutchins,” adding, “The evidence and facts speak for themselves. ”.
Baldwin, who also co-produced Rust, describes the killing as a tragic accident. He is trying to get his name cleared by suing the people involved in it.
In the lawsuit, Baldwin said that while working with Hutchins on camera angles, he pointed the gun in her direction, pulled it back, released the weapon’s hammer, and it fired.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said the charges were the result of “flawed investigations” and “an inaccurate understanding of the complete facts.”
Defendants can participate in many initial court proceedings remotely or request a waiver of first court appearance.
The decision to indict Baldwin was a 40-year career, with starring roles in early blockbusters Chasing Red October and the sitcom 30 Rock, as well as the iconic Martin Scorsese-directed The Hunt. It represents a surprising turn of events for the A-list actor who made the appearance. Withdrawal from David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross and turned into a movie.
In recent years, Baldwin was known for his impressions of former President Donald Trump on the television comedy show Saturday Night Live.
