Actor Alec Baldwin has been charged with manslaughter for his role in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Hutchins died after an accident on the set of the film Rust, after Baldwin pointed what he says he thought was a prop gun at her. The exact details of the incident remain hazy, but the firearm went off, killing Hutchins and grazing the film’s director, Joel Suza. Baldwin and his lawyers maintain that he had been assured by the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, that there were no “live” rounds on the set.
The shot that took Hutchins’ life, however, was a live round. Hutchins’ family and the district attorney in New Mexico decided to push forward with criminal charges against both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed for their respective roles in the accident. While no one involved has assumed any malice on the part of either party, prosecutors allege that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were extremely negligent and that their lack of vigilance caused Hutchins’ death.
What Happened?
Cameras weren’t rolling during the rehearsal involving Baldwin, Suza, Hutchins, and Gutierrez-Reed. However, other crew members present at the time of the accident have given some conflicting reports about the exact sequence of events and who, precisely, handed Baldwin the firearm.
The DA’s office has excoriated the set of Rust for what it calls a “criminal disregard for safety”. As part of the ongoing legal action, the DA’s office also brought charges of negligent use of a deadly weapon against assistant director David Halls, who was in charge of safety on set at the time of the accident. Halls plead guilty and agreed to terms in a plea deal, the details of which prosecutors will soon release.
Prosecutors Say They Seek Justice
A representative for the DA’s office, Heather Brewer, says that prosecutors are “fully focused on securing justice for Halyna Hutchins”. Brewer goes on, noting that “the evidence and the facts speak for themselves.” Meanwhile, Baldwin maintains that he’s innocent of any wrongdoing and has brought suit against the production for allegedly handing him a live firearm that he couldn’t have known was loaded with real bullets.
Baldwin alleges in a lawsuit against Gutierrez-Reed that Hutchins was helping run him through some camera angles when he pulled the hammer back on the revolver and then released it, which discharged the firearm. Charges of involuntary manslaughter carry a prison sentence of up to 18 months and up to a $5,000 fine in the state of New Mexico.
