New Mexico: Alec Baldwin Officially Charged With Manslaughter

Prosecutors in New Mexico said on Tuesday that Alec Baldwin admitted to shooting Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" and that he had not received proper training with firearms before the incident.

The district attorney for Santa Fe County formally charged him with involuntary manslaughter, calling his actions during the fatal shooting a "reckless deviation from known standards and practice," per the NY Post.

According to the complaint filed on Tuesday, the 64-year-old "30 Rock" actor and the 24-year-old movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, have been charged with two felonies: involuntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act.

Hutchins, a 42-year-old married mother of one, was shot to death by Baldwin using a prop gun that contained a live round on October 21, 2021. The accident also injured director Joel Souza.

Recklessness Causes Alec Baldwin Shooting Accident

An investigator for the prosecution wrote in a probable cause statement filed with the court on Tuesday that Baldwin ignored "multiple significant safety violations" on set despite having access to training in basic firearms safety rules.

Evidence "clearly indicates that Baldwin recklessly ignored these rules on multiple occasions," the statement reads, according to BBC.

According to the district attorney's office, assistant director David Halls of "Rust" has pleaded guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon. Halls will likely only have to go through probation for six months and a suspended sentence.

The district attorney's office announced Tuesday that the plea agreement would be made public once a judge approved it.

The Scene Doesn't Require Gunfire

Special investigator Robert Shilling concluded that Baldwin resulted in a reckless climate, as proven by the cast and crew's behavior, as documented by statements and proof, because he did not hold enough safety meetings as the film's producer.

According to Shilling, evidence indicates the scene did not require the firearm to be fired after looking over the script and interviewing witnesses, NBC News noted.

Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for "Rust" at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. While the scene does not require a gunshot, Baldwin's gun went off, killing Halyna Hutchins and hurting Souza.

According to the probable cause statement, it is also established after consultation with professional armorers that a plastic gun or a replica should be used in a rehearsal, as no shooting of blanks is required.

But Baldwin pulled the trigger, firing a shot. The bullet fired from the .45 long colt pistol hit Halyna Hutchins in the right armpit, passed out of her back, and pierced Joel Souza in the right shoulder with the bullet lodging into his right back.

On the other hand, Gutierrez-Reed's attorney, Jason Bowles maintained that his client should not be punished because she has done everything, she could to improve safety on the "Rust" set in New Mexico.

"Hannah pleaded to provide more firearms training," Bowles said in a statement. "She was denied and brushed aside.

Bowles argued that Gutierrez-Reed should not be facing a felony charge when Halls could be looking at a sentence of only six months' probation.

"Hannah asked Halls if they could use a plastic gun for the rehearsal scene, and he said no, wanting a 'real gun,'" according to Bowles.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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