Charges were announced today by Santa Fe District Attorney, Mary Carmack-Altwies in the shooting on the set of the film, Rust fatally killing director Halyna Hutchins.
Alec Baldwin (ex-The Doctor and Knots Landing) has been charged with involuntary manslaughter along with the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed.
The D.A. outlined why the deadly on-set shooting could result in criminal charges regardless of whether it was an accident. In a statement, she shared: “After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew. On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.
In charges set to be filed by the end of January, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death.
Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, said this about the charges: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun – or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Andrea Reeb, the special prosecutor for the case said: “If any one of these three people: Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, or David Halls (assistant director, Rust) had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It’s that simple. The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the ‘Rust’ film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.”
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