Actor and producer Alec Baldwin was formally charged with manslaughter (when there is no intent to kill) in the 2021 episode of the accidental shooting on the set of ‘Rust’, which claimed the life of a cinematographer .
Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who oversaw the weapons used in the film, has also been formally charged with the same crime. Assistant Director David Halls has been charged with negligent use of a deadly weapon. He has not contested and has entered into a plea deal that is pending approval.
remember the case
Halyna Hutchins, the 42-year-old cinematographer of “Rust,” and Joel Souza, the director, 48, “were killed when a gun was fired from Alec Baldwin” in October 2021, the office said of the United States. Fe County at the time.
Hutchins died after being rushed to an Albuquerque hospital, but Souza survived. No charges will be filed in connection with Souza’s injuries, according to the statement.
Baldwin, 64, and Gutierrez-Reed, 25, face two different types of manslaughter charges. According to the District Attorney’s office, a jury will decide not only whether to find Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed guilty, but what definition of manslaughter, if applicable.
Both types of charges concern crimes of the fourth degree. One will require proof of negligence and is punishable under New Mexico law by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
As the Associated Press explains, the second type of manslaughter charge, for reckless breach of security “without due caution and circumspection,” can result in a mandatory five years in prison because it involved a weapon.
Halls and Gutierrez-Reed handled the weapon before it was given to Baldwin the day of the shooting, The Wall Street Journal noted.
“The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the set of the film ‘Rust,'” Andrea Reeb, the special prosecutor in the case, said in a statement in early January announcing plans to file charges. “In New Mexico, there is no place for movie sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to public safety and guns seriously.”
Also in early January, Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas said in a statement released by Deadline that the ruling “distorts the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins.”
“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a real bullet in the gun, or anywhere on the film set,” Nikas said. “He trusted the professionals he worked with, who assured him the gun had no live ammunition.”
In an emailed statement to CNET in early January, Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers said the allegations “are the result of a very flawed investigation and an imprecise understanding of all the facts.”
“Hannah is, and always has been, very emotional and saddened by this tragic incident. But she did not commit manslaughter,” attorneys Jason Bowles and Todd J. Bullion said. “We intend to bring the whole truth to light and believe that Hannah will be cleared of any wrongdoing by jury.”
With information from CNET
Featured Image: Shutterstock
The post Alec Baldwin is formally accused of shooting accidentally on the set of ‘Rust’ first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
