Alec Baldwin charged with involuntary manslaughter over death of Halyna Hutchins
Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Western movie Rust, the New Mexico District Attorney’s office has said.
Baldwin's lawyer described the decision to charge him as a 'a terrible miscarriage of justice'.
The armourer for the film Hannah Guiterrez Reed will also be charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Meanwhile, assistant director David Halls has accepted a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
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Halyna Hutchins was killed after a prop gun held by Baldwin was discharged on the 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. No charges have been filed regarding this incident.
“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,” District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said.
“On my watch, no-one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice."
It comes less than three months after the DA's office received the final report from the Sheriff's Office into the incident.
Prior to the ruling, Heather Brewer - a spokesperson for the district attorney - said: "Regardless of the District Attorney's decision, the announcement will be a solemn occasion, made in a manner keeping with the office’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the judicial process and respecting the victim's family."
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."
Mitchell's representative Gloria Allred welcomed the judge's decision to not drop Baldwin from the civil lawsuit.
She said: "We are very happy that we won, and that the Court today permitted us, over the objection of Alec Baldwin, to proceed in our lawsuit against him on our theories of assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
"In addition, the Court, over Mr Baldwin's objection, allowed us to proceed against him for punitive damages."
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.
Topics: Alec Baldwin, Crime, US News, Celebrity, Film and TV
Jake Massey