Actor Alec Baldwin has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after Halyna Hutchins’s shooting on the Western movie Rust set where Hutchins had fatal wounds that resulted in death. Another Rust worker Hannah Gutierrez Reed is also being charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. As for the film’s assistant director David Halls has decided to agree to a plea deal where he plead guilty to a charge of negligence for using a deadly weapon. Halls agreed to accept six months of probation and a suspended sentence.
The Rust shooting made global headlines after police received a 911 call and rushed to the set in Rust, New Mexico. The crew rehearsed a scene in which Baldwin’s character shoots a gun, where Hutchings filmed from a low close-up with the camera tilted up. Hutchins, who was holding the camera, was kneeling below Baldwin, who was told he was holding a gun without live ammunition. Instead, the gun fired, and a sharp bullet was released, passing through Hutchin’s chest and hitting Rust writer-director Joel Souza in the shoulder (although New Mexico law states that Souza’s injury has not been prosecuted). After being rushed to the hospital, it was then released that Hutchins later died from her injuries.
This morning, the district attorney released a statement showing the following charges:
“The first charge can be referred to simply as involuntary manslaughter. For this charge to be proved there must be underlying negligence. Under New Mexico law, involuntary manslaughter is a fourth-degree felony and is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. This charge also includes the misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a firearm, which would likely merge as a matter of law.
“The other charge is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act. This charge requires proof that there was more than simple negligence involved in a death. This is also a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. This charge includes a firearm enhancement, or added mandatory penalty because a firearm was involved. The firearm enhancement makes the crime punishable by a mandatory five years in jail.”
An investigation into the Rust mass shooting revealed that about half a dozen live ammunition had been mixed up with set props and costumes. Among them were those worn by Supernatural and The Boys actor Jensen Ackles. But more than that, investigators found no evidence of suspected rowdy behavior on set, including unsupervised target practice with real bullets. Producers were fined the maximum fee (over $136,000) for handling dangerous firearms on set.
Last fall, a settlement was reached between Hutchin’s family (husband Matt and their young son) and Rust‘s producers, with Matt Hutchins being credited as an executive producer on the film.
Stay with mxdwn for more on this developing story.
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