Actor Alec Baldwin is to be charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
[Updated January 19, 2023 5:51 PM] Alec Baldwin will be charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust, the prosecutor in charge of the case announced this Thursday, January 19 2023. On October 21, 2021, the American actor accidentally fired while shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which claimed the life of the director of photography of the feature film. Alec Baldwin always insisted that he was confirmed that his weapon was harmless (it should only contain blanks) and that he did not pull the trigger.
“After careful review of the evidence and the laws of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew,” announced prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies. The Santa Fe prosecutor clarified this Thursday, January 19, 2023 that assistant director Dave Halls, whose responsibility was also in question at the time of the tragedy, is not concerned by this charge. He had indeed agreed to an arrangement so that he would only be prosecuted for negligent use of a deadly weapon. He is suspended with 6 months probation. It should also be noted that the charges do not relate to the shooting which also hit director Joel Souza, injured in the shoulder.
The 64-year-old actor has always defended himself by ensuring that he had simply followed the instructions given to him during rehearsals, while the director and the director of photography sought to determine the best angle to capture the scene. . However, experts question these claims. As part of this case, Alec Baldwin is not the only one who will be prosecuted: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, in charge of the weapons on the film set, will also be prosecuted for manslaughter. They face up to 5 years in prison, according to TMZ.
In October 2022, Alec Baldwin said he was confident about the outcome of the investigation, expecting that no one would be charged in this case of accidental fatal shooting: “I sincerely believe (…) (that the investigators will) say that it was an accident”, he had estimated with the american television channel CNN. The actor announced last October that he had reached an agreement with the relatives of Halyna Hutchins. In a statement, the cinematographer’s widower, Matt Hutchins, said it was “a relief to see that no one is above the law”.