Criminal Charges ‘On The Table’ Following Alec Baldwin’s Fatal Halyna Hutchins Shooting
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A district attorney has said criminal charges are still ‘on the table’ following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies made the comments after Hutchins was killed by a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin last week on the set of the Western film Rust, where she was working as director of photography.
The director of the project, Joel Souza, was also injured as a result of the incident.
Baldwin issued an apology in the wake of the events and no charges have been filed as a result of the incident, but Carmack-Altwies told The New York Times they are still possible, even if they aren’t filed any time soon.
She explained: ‘It’s probably weeks, if not months, of follow-up investigation that we’re going to need to get to the point of charging.’ Investigators ‘haven’t ruled out anything’, the DA said, adding: ‘Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table.’
Carmack-Altwies described the gun fired by Baldwin as an ‘antique-era’, ‘legit gun’. She also noted there were an ‘enormous amount of bullets on this set.’
Court documents cited by USA Today reveal authorities seized three black revolvers, ammunition boxes, a bum bag with ammunition, several spent casings, two leather gun belts with holsters, items of clothing and swabs of what were believed to be blood during their search of the set.
Investigators are said to be looking into the kind of ammunition that was recovered, with Carmack-Altwies describing the incident as one of the most unique cases to have happened in Santa Fe County. She commented: ‘We have complex cases all the time. But this kind of complex case, with these kinds of prominent people, no.’
This week, Los Angeles trial attorney David Ring expressed his belief to People that Baldwin likely won’t be the subject of charges for the shooting, explaining: ‘Based on what we know now, it doesn’t seem like Alec Baldwin is the focus of any criminal case because he was handed a gun and he was told it was a cold gun, meaning that someone has looked at it and [found] there’s no ammunition in it.’
He continued: ‘And I think he has the right to rely upon that, to assume that it also is cold.’
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office is expected to hold a press conference today, October 27, to share more details about the investigation.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: Film and TV, Alec Baldwin, Halyna Hutchins, Now, Rust, Shooting
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The New York TimesThe New York Times
Criminal Charges Possible In Shooting on Alec Baldwin Set, DA Says
