Actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons expert have been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a New Mexico film set, according to court documents filed Jan. 31 by prosecutors.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweiss filed charging documents naming Mr. Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reid, who monitored the weapons on the set of the western “Rust,” and outlined evidence that they repeatedly exceeded known safety standards. Got distracted.
Halina Hutchins died shortly after being injured during a rehearsal on October 21, 2021, at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe. Mr. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing him and wounding director Joel Souza.
Prosecutors have said that Mr. Baldwin’s involvement as a producer and as the gunman weighed in the decision to file charges.
In recent weeks, Ms. Carmack-Altweiss outlined two sets of involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting.
The murder charge filed on January 31 against Mr. Baldwin and Ms. Gutierrez-Reid includes two optional standards and sanctions.
A version would require proof of negligence, which is punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine under New Mexico law.
The second option is for reckless disregard of safety “without due care and caution”. It carries a higher threshold of misdemeanor and includes a “firearms enhancement” that can result in a mandatory five years in prison if the offense was committed with a firearm.
Prosecutors have said that a jury may ultimately decide which definition of murder to pursue.
A probable cause statement outlining the evidence against Mr Baldwin alleges multiple instances of “extremely reckless acts” or reckless failures to exercise caution in the days and minutes leading up to the fatal shooting.
Investigators say Mr Baldwin pulled a revolver from the holster, pointed it at Hutchins and fired the weapon when a plastic or replica gun should have been used according to industry standards.
It says photos and videos of rehearsals, including moments before the fatal shooting, showed Mr. Baldwin “tampering” with the pistol’s hammer inside the trigger guard and with his finger on the trigger, and that an FBI analysis showed It turns out that the pistol could not have fired without pressing the trigger.
Investigators say Mr. Baldwin failed to appear for mandatory firearms training prior to filming, and he did not fully complete the training on set because he was distracted by phone calls to family. They also cite required security-checks and multiple breaches of protocol as the gun was loaded and provided to Mr Baldwin.
Mr. Baldwin and Ms. Gutierrez-Reid maintain their innocence and have vowed to fight the charges.
Mr Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nicks, declined to comment and referred to his previous statement on the case, in which he called the allegations a “terrible miscarriage of justice” that he and his client would fight and win.
“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe that there was a live bullet in the gun – or anywhere on the set of the film,” the statement said. “He depended on the professionals he worked with.”
Ms Gutierrez-Reid’s lawyer said they would release a statement later.
Prosecutors say Mr. Baldwin, in his role as producer of “Rust,” failed to account for Ms. Gutierrez-Reid’s relative inexperience as an unproven armourer on her second film assignment. They allege that Mr. Baldwin and Ms. Gutierrez-Reid skipped a critical safety check of the gun and its ammunition and that Mr. Baldwin should have been better known as an actor with extensive experience in firearms films .
The investigators stated, “Standard protocol is to show the actor the firearm, draw bullets in front of the actor, and demonstrate that there are no live rounds (but dummies) in the firearm.” “Hannah Gutierrez-Reid did not do this protocol in front of Mr. Baldwin. Mr. Baldwin did not object.
Prosecutors also gave a new account of the live ammunition on the set—noting that five additional live rounds were discovered by officers, including one round in Mr. Baldwin’s holster, as well as an ammunition box. , a holster, a weapon cart and a live round were seized. From Ms. Gutierrez-Reid.
Hutchins’ death has already sparked new security precautions in the film industry.
Ms. Carmack-Altweiss told The Associated Press in a January 19 interview that the set was “running really fast and loose” and that Mr. Baldwin should have known that there had been misfires on the set before and that several people brought up security. To worries
Mr. Baldwin and Ms. Gutierrez-Reid will be issued subpoenas to appear in court. Prosecutors would skip a grand jury and rely on a judge to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial. A decision can take up to 60 days.
Involuntary manslaughter can include a murder that occurs when a defendant is doing something lawful but dangerous and is acting recklessly or without care.
Prosecutors say a proposed plea agreement signed by assistant director David Halles, who used to oversee security on the set, has not yet been approved by a judge and cannot be published.
Prosecutors previously said Hall had agreed to plead guilty to reckless use of a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say Hall may have improperly handled the gun before it was given to Mr Baldwin.
Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, said in a statement on January 30 that prosecutors are “resolutely focused on securing justice for Helena Hutchins” and that “the evidence and the facts speak for themselves.”
Mr Baldwin, who is also a co-producer of “Rust”, described the killing as a tragic accident. The 64-year-old actor said he was told the gun was safe and sought to clear his name by suing those involved in handling and supplying the loaded .45-caliber revolver.
At his trial, Mr. Baldwin said that while working out the camera angles with Hutchins, he pointed the gun in her direction and pulled back and released the weapon’s hammer, which discharged.
Jason Bowles, the defense lawyer representing Ms Gutierrez-Reid, said the allegations were the result of a “flawed investigation” and a “misunderstanding of the full facts”.
Defendants can participate in many preliminary court proceedings remotely or seek an exemption from their first appearance.
The decision to charge Mr Baldwin is a surprising turn of events for an A-list actor whose 40-year career included the early blockbuster “The Hunt for Red October” and a starring role in the sitcom “30 Rock”. Iconic appearances in a film adaptation of Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed” and David Mamet’s “Glangery Glen Ross”. In recent years, Mr Baldwin was known for his impression of former President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live”.