The accident that had shocked all of Hollywood will have a legal result. American actor Alec Baldwin, author of a fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021, will be charged with manslaughter, announced Thursday the county prosecutor of Santa Fe, Mary Carmack-Altwies. The armorer of the film, who had handled the weapon, is targeted by the same charge.
“This decision distorts the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins (victim of the shooting, editor’s note) and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice”reacted Luke Nikas, the actor’s lawyer. “Alec Baldwin had no reason to believe a live ammunition was in the gun, or anywhere else at the shooting location.”
On October 21, 2021, this filming had turned tragic when Alec Baldwin had activated a weapon supposed to contain only blank bullets, but whose very real projectile had killed the director of photography Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured the director Joel Souza.
‘No one is above the law’
“After careful review of the evidence and the laws of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew. »said Mary Carmack-Altwies. “Under my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice”she added.
Charges will be formally filed. “by the end of the month”, said the prosecutor. If convicted, Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed risk up to 18 months in prison.
Alec Baldwin always said he was assured his gun was harmless. Executive assistant David Halls, who had given him the weapon informing him that it was not dangerous, pleaded guilty to negligence while using a deadly weapon. The star also maintained that he did not pull the trigger, a claim questioned by experts.
‘Criminal disregard for security’
“If any of these three people – Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls – had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would still be alive today. It’s as simple as that”said prosecutor Andrea Reeb. The evidence shows “a criminal disregard for security on the set of “Rust”she judged.
The police investigation focused in particular on determining how live ammunition could have been found on the set, which is in theory strictly prohibited, precisely to avoid accidents. Officers concluded that the shooting gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, put the ammunition in the gun used by Alec Baldwin, instead of a dummy bullet.
Halyna Hutchins’ family had filed a complaint against the actor in February 2022, accusing him through their lawyer of “dangerous behavior” and denouncing the cost-saving measures decided by the film’s producers, including Alec Baldwin, having according to them led to the death of the filmmaker. Production on the film is set to resume in January 2023.