Oscar-nominated actor Alec Baldwin will be charged with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halina Hutchins on the set of the western movie “Rust” in New Mexico, prosecutors said Thursday.
Baldwin and the film’s gunsmith, who was in charge of the weapons on set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reid, will face two counts of manslaughter, according to New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Althuis.
“Rust” first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to the DA’s office.
Carmack-Althuis said charges will be filed before the end of the month.
“This decision misrepresents the tragic death of Halina Hutchins and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice,” the actor’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, said in a statement.
“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was any ammunition in the gun – or anywhere on the set. He relied on the professionals he worked with to assure him that the gun had no live ammunition. We will fight their accusations and we will win.
Manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony and is usually punishable by up to 18 months behind bars and a $5,000 fine, prosecutors said. But a firearms enhancement on the charges could make the crime punishable by a mandatory sentence of five years in prison, prosecutors said.
“After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew,” Carmack-Althuis said in a statement.
“In my day, no one is above the law and everyone deserves justice.”
Halyna Hutchins at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Fred Hayes File/Getty Images
Hutchins was fatally shot nearly 15 months ago while filming “Rust” at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico on October 21, 2021. Baldwin was rehearsing with a gun for a scene in a church when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza .
No charges will be filed in connection with Souza’s wounding, prosecutors said.
“If any of those three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reid or David Halls — had done their job, Halina Hutchins would be alive today. It’s as simple as that,” Special Counsel Andrea Reeb said in a statement.
“The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the set of the movie Rust.” There is no place in New Mexico for shooting locations that do not take seriously our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety.
Hutchins, 42, is survived by her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their 9-year-old son, Aldous.
The family said they support the prosecutor’s decision to seek criminal charges.
“We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney for completing their thorough investigation and determining that manslaughter charges are warranted for the killing of Halina Hutchins with a conscious disregard for human life,” according to a statement from attorney Brian Panish, who represents the family.
“Our independent investigation also confirms that the allegations are well founded. It’s comforting to the family that no one is above the law in New Mexico. We support the charges, we will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and we sincerely hope that the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.
The announcement of the charges came three months after the Sante Fe Sheriff’s Office presented the results of its investigation to prosecutors.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” in April that he believed there was a “level of neglect” on the set of “Rust.” But he left decisions on criminal charges to the district attorney’s office.
Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, NM, on Oct. 23, 2021. Jae C. Hong/AP File
In early October, Hutchins’ husband reached a settlement in his wrongful-death lawsuit against the producers of Rust, including Baldwin. Matthew Hutchins said in a statement that filming will resume in January and he will join the project as an executive producer as part of the deal.
“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has held to the specific desire to do the best for Halina’s son,” Baldwin said in an Instagram post after the settlement was announced. “We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.
The New Mexico Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the shooting an accident based on autopsy results and a review of law enforcement documents, according to the Associated Press.
In an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News in December 2021, Baldwin gave his first public account of the fatal shooting and claimed he did not pull the trigger. He adamantly insisted that he was not at fault and said he did not feel guilty about the incident.
“I feel that someone is responsible for what happened and I can’t say who it is,” he said. “But I know it’s not me.”
Baldwin added that if he could, he “would do anything to undo what happened.”
“Rust,” set in 1880 Kansas, stars Baldwin as a grizzled outlaw who goes on the run with his estranged grandson after the boy accidentally kills a local farmer, according to a plot summary on the Internet Movie Database.
Souza is expected to return as director when filming resumes this month. He previously directed the independent crime dramas Crown Vic and Break Night.
Baldwin is a prolific actor known for playing CEO Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” impersonating former President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” and appearing in films such as “Beetlejuice” and “Glengarry Glen Ross.” .
He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Cooler, released in 2003.
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