Actor Alec Baldwin may not face any jail time for shooting “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. In fact, he may not even have to go to trial.
On Thursday, April 20, two special prosecutors chosen to take over as Santa Fe County District Attorney decided to dismiss two counts of involuntary manslaughter against the “30 Rock” actor.
‘Rust’ Special Prosecutor Plans To Drop Alec Baldwin’s Involuntary Manslaughter Charge After Halyna Hutchins’ Fatal Shooting 2021
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On Thursday evening, Deadline was the first to report that “Rust” special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis plan to drop all criminal charges against Alec Baldwin. The paperwork to formalize the motion is said to be happening soon, possibly today.
However, Baldwin was not in a free and clear state. The two plan to dismiss the Emmy-winning actor’s involuntary manslaughter charge without prejudice as they continue to investigate the fatal shooting at Bonanza Creek Ranch. This means Baldwin could potentially face criminal charges again in the future.
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At this time, charges have not been brought against “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who claims that she did not even check the gun before using it to practice the scene. (UPDATE: Deadline claims that charges were NOT dropped against Gutierrez-Reed, despite conflicting reports.)
Several witnesses, including director Joel Souza, reported that first assistant director David Halls was the one who claimed that the gun Baldwin used to practice the scene was a “cold gun,” meaning a weapon that did not contain live ammunition.
Baldwin’s Legal Team Claims Gun Used in ‘Rusty’ Shooting Has Been ‘Destroyed’
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It’s possible the charges against Baldwin were dropped because of the unexpected debate over the fate of the weapon used in the shooting. Last month, Baldwin was absent for a virtual hearing attended by Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and her attorney, Jason Bowles.
However, Baldwin’s legal team was present at the meeting. Attorney Alex Spiro told Judge Mary Marlow Sommer that the 1880s prop gun Baldwin was holding when he shot Hutchins had been “destroyed.”
“The court, I don’t think I’m aware of this, but I thought I should tell the court that the firearms in this case, that’s a great subject, were destroyed by the government,” Spiro claimed. “So, that’s obviously an issue and we need to look at the firearm, or what’s left of it.”
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The comments were not immediately addressed in the courtroom, but a spokeswoman for New Mexico’s First Judicial District Attorney Heather Brewer released a statement that night to say that “the weapon used by Alec Baldwin in the shooting that killed Halyna Hutchins has not been destroyed by the state.” Brewer added that the gun was “in evidence and available for the defense to review.”
“The defense’s unexpected statement in today’s status hearing that the gun was destroyed by the state may refer to a statement in the July 2022 FBI firearms test report that said damage was done to internal components of the firearm during FBI functional testing,” added Brewer. “However, the gun still exists and can be used as evidence.”
The Prosecution Has Faced Some Setbacks In Their Legal Battle Against Alec Baldwin
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The prosecution has faced several obstacles in its case against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed. At the end of February, they lost an attempt to prevent the shield “Rust” from storing firearms in his house. The DA also had to drop the gun enhancement charge after Baldwin’s legal team successfully argued that the enhancement was “unconstitutional.”
Baldwin’s legal team had set a court date to look at the firing of special prosecutor Andrea Reeb in March, but she resigned before they could take the matter to a judge. On March 29, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies recused herself from the case to bring on Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis as special prosecutors.
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While Halyna Hutchins’ parents and sister have brought a new lawsuit against Alec Baldwin, her husband, Matthew Hutchins, settled a wrongful-death lawsuit against the “Rust” producer last October. As part of the settlement, he was named an executive producer on the film, which will resume shooting this week at the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana.
At the time of the settlement, Matthew Hutchins released a statement, saying, “I’m not interested in getting involved in accusations or accusations of blame (on the publisher or Mr. Baldwin),” adding, “We all believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I’m grateful that producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
