Alec Baldwin Formally Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter for the Killing of “Rust” Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins

More than a year has passed since the tragedy on the set that claimed the life of Halyna Hutchins, cinematographer on the set of RustAlec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, both armourers, were indicted for involuntary murder.

RELATED: Alec Baldwin And ‘Rust’ Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, Armorer, To Facing Involuntary Manslaughter charges Following The Death Of Halyna Utchins

Hutchins was killed on the 21st Oct 2021 at the set of RustBaldwin was practicing for a scene when the gun he held exploded, killing the cinematographer, and injuring the director Joel Souza.

After criminal charges against Baldwin and Gutierrez–Reed were announced on Thursday, the 19th January by Mary Carmack-Altwies, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack–Altwies, formal charges were filed on Tuesday.

According to The Hollywood ReporterProsecutors indicted Baldwin as the actor and producer of this film. It is common knowledge that actors should make sure that the gun they’re holding is not loaded and is safe to use on any given film set.

Robert Shilling, Santa Fe District Attorney’s special investigator, issued a statement stating probable cause. “the first rule of gun safety is never to point a gun at someone you don’t intend on shooting,” The actor should have assumed that he was being presented with a gun loaded with live rounds, he said.

RELATED: New Mexico District Attorney: Alec Baldwin could face criminal charges for his death ‘Rust’ Shooting

Shilling added that Baldwin had also failed to undergo the procedure. “required firearms training prior to the commencement of filming,” Even “after [Gutierrez-Reed] requested more training.”

“This reckless deviation from known standards and practice and protocol directly caused the fatal shooting. Baldwin acted with willful disregard of the safety of others and in a manner which endangered other people,” His statement was added.

Santa Fe’s special investigator points out that Baldwin was also responsible in hiring Gutierrez–Reed, whom he described to be “a nightmare”. “inexperienced and unqualified” The document.

“As the producer of a firearm intense film, evidence shows that Baldwin allowed, through acts or omissions, the hiring of inexperienced and unqualified [Gutierrez-Reed] for this production, failed to mitigate or establish more precautions to protect against [Gutierrez-Reed’s] inexperience, or failed to demand the minimum safety standards, protocols, and requirements on set,” wrote Shilling.

The actor in question had claimed that his role as producer was for the benefit of others. Rust He was not legally held responsible for Hutchins’ murder.

“It depends on what grade of producer you are,” Baldwin said that Chris Cuomo was a former CNN anchor. “There are managerial producers who raise the money and spend the money and hire people. And there are creative producers who come in and the only authorities they have are over script casting; that’s the category I fall into.”

Baldwin actually shot himself in the foot twice more. In a now-infamous interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, just over a month after the tragic Rust incident, the actor contradicted his recollection of the event on several occasions, particularly claiming that he did neither pull the trigger nor cock the gun’s hammer.

Baldwin claimed that Baldwin was the first to claim this title. “So I take the gun and I start to cock the gun. I’m not going to pull the trigger. I said, ‘Do you see this?’ She says, ‘Well, just cheat it down and tilt it down a little bit like that.’ And I cock the gun and I go, ‘Can you see that? Can you see that? Can you see that?’”

RELATED: FBI Investigates Gun That Was Killed ‘Rust’ Filmographer Halyna HUTCHINS Could Not Have Fired Without Alec Baldwin Pulling the Trigger

“And she says…and I let go of the hammer of the gun and the gun goes off. I let go of the hammer of the gun and the gun goes off,” He went on. Baldwin, contradicting his own version, continued to claim that he had not cocked the gun. He remembered that he was pulling. “the hammer as far back as I could without cocking [it].”

Contrary to Baldwin’s recollection of the tragic event, ABC News obtained FBI documents It was decided that this would be the case in August 2022 “the gun could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional” with the firearm’s hammer fully cocked.

Press release published to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Facebook page The official announcement was made on the 19th January that Alec Baldwin, and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, would be indicted for involuntary manslaughter in relation to the murder of Rust Halyna Houtchins is a cinematographer.

“New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced on Thursday that, in keeping with her commitment to pursue justice for all victims and to hold everyone accountable under the law, her office before the end of the month will file criminal charges in the Rust film-set shooting,” Preface to the statement.

RELATED: Alec Baldwin “Seeks To Clear His Name,” Files Lawsuit Accusing ‘Rust’ Crew Members Of Being Responsible For On-Set Shooting

The document continued. “Rust actor and producer Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the film’s Santa Fe County set in 2021.”

According to the press release, the involuntary murder charge can be punished by up to 18 month imprisonment and a fine of $5,000. “Under New Mexico law, involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony and is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. This charge also includes the misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a firearm, which would likely merge as a matter of law.”

It doesn’t stop there. “The other charge is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act. This charge requires proof that there was more than simple negligence involved in a death. This is also a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in jail and up to a $5000 fine. This charge includes a firearm enhancement, or added mandatory penalty, because a firearm was involved. The firearm enhancement makes the crime punishable by a mandatory five years in jail.”

The statement further revealed that Rust David Halls was Assistant Director “signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. The terms include a suspended sentence and six months of probation.”

The document also states, “Interestingly,” “No charges will be filed specific to the non-fatal shooting of ‘Rust‘ director Joel Souza,” who was injured on the film’s set by the same bullet that killed Hutchins.

In a desperate effort to clear his name from wrongdoing, Baldwin himself filed a lawsuit against four members of the film’s crew. The disgraced actor’s cross-complaint accuses Rust Hannah Gutierrez – Reed, Assistant Director David Halls, Seth Kenney, and his prop-supplying firm PDQ Arm & Prop, LLC, were all named in a lawsuit. Sarah Zachry was the props manager. previously filed by Rust script supervisor Mamie Mitchell.

Filed in November of 2021, Mitchell’s suit also mentions Baldwin, accusing the actor of “intentionally, without just cause or excuse, cocked and fired the loaded gun even though the upcoming scene to be filmed did not call for the cocking and firing of the firearm.”

Mitchell also accused the actor’s actions of constituting “assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm.”

RELATED: Alec Baldwin Files Lawsuit Asserting He’s Not “Legally Culpable” Of Killing Halyna Hutchins

Baldwin’s also been hit with separate legal complaints. The first suit against the actor was filed by Rust gaffer Serge Svetnoy in November of 2021, accusing the incident of being “caused by the negligent acts and omission” of Baldwin, assistant director David Halls, and Gutierrez-Reed, as well as several members of the film’s production team and “their agents, principals, and employers.”

On February 14th of 2022, attorney Krystina Martinez filed a suit against Baldwin on behalf of Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, and the couple’s son Andros, alleging that “Defendant Alec Baldwin recklessly shot and killed Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust,” further noting that the other defendants’ negligence regarding safety rules are also to blame for the death of the cinematographer.

In a turn of events, Hutchins’ family reached a settlement with Alec Baldwin in October of 2022. “We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC,” read an statement issued by Matthew Hutchins.

“As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed,” Hutchins added before revealing that the agreement gives him a producer role in the movie. “The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board in January 2023.”

He further noted, “I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin). All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”

NEXT: ‘Man Of Steel’ Actor Michael Shannon Weighs In On The Killing Of Halyna Hutchins, Places Blame On Armorer And The Film’s Low Budget, Doesn’t Condemn Alec Baldwin

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