Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer, was killed during rehearsals in New Mexico 15 months ago.
I was told by a friend of hers that he had been “praying for accountability” after the film Rust. The looming involuntary murder charges suggest that it may finally be possible.
As the blame-and-counter-blame game unfolds in an American fashion, there have been numerous civil lawsuits and countersuits brought by Rust cast members, including the script assistant and chief electrician.
These charges by the Santa Fe District attorney are the first indication that a criminal reckoning may be coming for Alec Baldwin as well as Hannah Gutierrez–Reed, the film’s armourer and responsible for weapons set-up.
Baldwin admitted to holding the gun at the time the bullet that killed Hutchins was fired, but has always denied pulling it.
His account does not match what the FBI investigators discovered. Police also interviewed other A-list actors for their investigation. They said they check their guns for live bullets every time or have someone else do it. Baldwin is alleged to have been negligent in failing to do so.
Mary Cormack-Weiss, Santa Fe district attorney, said to NBC that the gun was in the man’s hand when he pulled the trigger. This was the main action that resulted in the death of Halyna Hutchins.
“This was more than negligence. It was people acting recklessly. People not doing their jobs. People not following safety protocols. They didn’t follow safety standards. This violated all the safety standards we all must follow if we have guns in our hands.
Continue reading:
Alec Baldwin promises to fight the charge of Rust shooting
Baldwin pulled the trigger, according to FBI
After filming, here are the key points of Baldwin’s interview
Dave Halls, the assistant director of the film, was responsible for weapons on set. He allegedly gave Baldwin the gun. Halls made a plea bargain with prosecutors and admitted that there was enough evidence to convict him.
He was laser-in on by Baldwin and Gutierrez–Reed, suggesting that investigators were focusing on the chain of custody and who had the gun on that particular day.
Although Ms. Hutchins’ family welcomed the announcement of the looming charges, Baldwin was not pleased with the decision to be charged.
Robert King, creator and star of The Good Wife legal drama, tweeted, “To charge Alec Baldwin for being a producer is one thing but to charge him to be an actor seems like misunderstanding the chain of responsibility at a movie set.” “If you are charging an actor, you should also be charging all producers, the prop master, and the director.”
Baldwin remains determined and bullish. His lawyer stated that “We will fight it and we will win.”
In his first television interview following the tragedy, it echoed his sentiments. He said, “Someone is guilty but it’s me.”
He is not likely to reach a settlement with the prosecutors regarding the shooting. There are good chances that this will be a jury trial. If convicted, he could spend 18 months in prison.