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Topics: US News, Celebrity, Alec Baldwin
Jess Hardiman
Topics: US News, Celebrity, Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the death of Halyna Hutchins.
According to Albuquerque TV station KOAT, prosecutors filed the felony charges against the star today (Tuesday 31 January).
Hutchins was killed after a prop gun held by Baldwin was discharged on the New Mexico set of Rust in October 2021.
Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shooting on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set near Santa Fe, Arizona, although no charges have been filed regarding this incident.
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District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced the decision to charge both Baldwin and set armourer Hanna Gutierrez-Reed over the death, earlier this month, saying in a statement: "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."
Baldwin has described the killing of Hutchins as a 'tragic accident' and has sought to clear his name by suing people involved in handling and supplying the loaded gun that was handed to him on the set.
His lawyer described the decision to charge him as a 'a terrible miscarriage of justice'.
Last February, lawyers for Hutchins' family released a CGI reconstruction detailing how they allege she was killed.
The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, the film's armorer, and other producers.
Attorney Brian Panish said: "We went to the scene, we assessed the scene with experts and we really dug into what we could.
"I think the video explains why Mr. Baldwin and others were responsible and are responsible for safety on the job site and why their reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures led to the death of Halyna Hutchins."
In November, Baldwin's motion to be dropped from a civil lawsuit brought by the script supervisor of the movie was been denied by a judge.
Mamie Mitchell was permitted to pursue her claims against the 30 Rock actor who, it is claimed, 'recklessly' fired the prop gun.
Her suit alleges that the 64-year-old fired the weapon when it was not called for in the script of the Western.
It also names many defendants including Baldwin, David Halls, the assistant director who handed him the gun, and Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was in charge of weapons on the set.
Baldwin filed a motion to be removed from the suit, but Judge Michael E Whitaker denied it, as well as another to strike the script supervisor's claim for punitive damages.
"The Court finds Plaintiff's allegations in the SAC (second amended complaint) demonstrate alleged despicable conduct carried out by the Demurring Defendants with a wilful and conscious disregard of the rights or safety of others sufficient to withstand a motion to strike," the ruling read.
"Accordingly, the Court denies the motion to strike as to the Demurring Defendants."