Prosecutors said Thursday that the actor Alec Baldwin and the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, would each be prosecuted with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of a cameraman on the set of the Western film "Rust" in 2021.
The family of Halyna Hutchins, the cameraman for the film, commended the prosecution for their decision.
Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Charges
"It is reassuring to the family that no one is above the law in New Mexico," the family stated in a statement issued by attorney Brian J. Panish, as per CNN.
Baldwin maintains he was unaware that the gun he fired during practice had a live bullet. His counsel described the judgment of the prosecution as a "sad miscarriage of justice."
"This ruling distorts the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins and reflects a heinous miscarriage of justice. "Mr. Baldwin had no reason to assume there was a live bullet in the pistol or anywhere else on the film set," said Baldwin's attorney, Luke Nikas.
A lawyer for Gutierrez Reed stated that he expects the jury would find his client innocent. Mary Carmack-Altwies, the New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney, said that Baldwin and Gutierrez Reed each face two charges of involuntary manslaughter so that a jury can determine which count is most suitable.
If found guilty, "they will only face one count," the prosecutor stated. In any case, prosecutors said a conviction is punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
However, one count would include a firearm enhancement, or obligatory extra punishment, because a firearm was involved. In such a scenario, the offense might be penalized by a required five years in prison, according to authorities. David Halls, the production's first assistant director, has consented to plead guilty to careless use of a lethal weapon. Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film's armorer, has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin's attorney sent a statement to The Independent in response to the news: "This judgment distorts the tragic loss of Halyna Hutchins and is a horrific miscarriage of justice."
Luke Nikas said they want to "fight" and "win" the allegations. The ruling comes more than 15 months after the tragic incident on set in October 2021 when a toy gun carried by Baldwin fired. A single gunshot pierced the shoulder of director Joel Souza before fatally wounding Hutchins in the chest. Baldwin has continually denied involvement and claimed that he was informed that the rifle had no live ammo and did not pull the trigger.
Mickey Rourke has defended Alec Baldwin, stating that he should not be charged with the death of Halyna Hutchins. On Thursday, prosecutors revealed that Baldwin would be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins' death on the Rust set.
Did Alec Baldwin Pull The Trigger?
Whether Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger of the gun is another unanswered matter of significance. According to Daily Mail, the fake weapon was intended to be loaded with dummies.
Baldwin maintains he did not fire the trigger since the incident occurred during a rehearsal. He claims that he removed the firearm from its holster and held it in front of Hutchins, director Joel Souza, and the rest of the team. Notably, he has always claimed it was "cocked" but denies firing it. In August, the FBI produced a study stating that the pistol could not fire while cocked until the trigger was pressed.
According to the same claim, the gun might fire without pushing the trigger if it was not cocked. However, Baldwin's attorneys dismissed the report. They stated that it was based on limited testing. They are likely to dissect that in court.
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