Actor Alec Baldwin to Appear in Court in Connection with the Death of Halyna Hutchins
Actor Alec Baldwin is set to appear before a court in the First Judicial District of Santa Fe (New Mexico, USA) on Thursday after being charged with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of «Rust» in October 2021, according to US media reports. The American actor, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter for this incident on January 19, will give his version to the court virtually, according to information published on Tuesday.
Baldwin, who has always maintained that he never pulled the trigger of the prop revolver he was holding, but that it was fired due to a mechanical failure, had been acquitted of involuntary manslaughter charges in April of last year.
However, in October, special prosecutors in the case announced that they would ask a grand jury to consider whether he should be criminally charged again for what happened.
Indeed, at the beginning of October, a judge in New Mexico had already ordered the film’s producers to hand over documents to prosecutors that could potentially prove that Baldwin – the film’s protagonist and producer – would benefit more if he delivered the project on time and under budget.
The case focuses on determining how a live round ended up in the barrel of the prop gun that Baldwin was holding during a rehearsal, which ultimately fatally struck Hutchins on October 20, 2021 in Santa Fe.
In that state, a conviction for involuntary manslaughter, like the one Baldwin could face, carries a sentence of up to 18 months in prison.
The head of safety protocol during the shooting, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also charged with involuntary manslaughter, while assistant director David Halls, who was in charge of handing the gun to Baldwin, accepted a charge of a lesser offense in an agreement with the prosecution.
Union Shows Support
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-Aftra) issued a statement expressing its support for actor Alec Baldwin.
Although the union’s statement does not specifically mention Baldwin, the institution referred to the case and argued that they disagree with prosecuting the actor twice in the same case.
In addition, they emphasized that it was not the actor’s duty to know how to handle a firearm.
«To the extent that the charges filed on January 19 are based on an allegation of negligent use of a firearm, premised on the notion that this or any actor had a duty to inspect a firearm as part of its use, this is an incorrect assessment of the actual duties of an actor on set,» the statement explains.
They also pointed out that there is a team on set whose job is to provide the actor with firearms that are already adapted for use.
«An actor’s job is not to be an expert in firearms or firearms. Firearms are provided for use on set under the guidance of multiple professional experts who are directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.»
SAG added that the procedure for using firearms in film shoots is established in its rules, but they insisted that artists are not responsible for ensuring that the firearms are adapted for use.
The union’s statement represents a positive step in favor of Baldwin in the legal process, as he has been emphasizing this point since the case began, but it has been ignored.
