Actor Alec Baldwin has now officially been charged with manslaughter following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western movie, Rust. According to a report via Variety, Baldwin has been charged as both producer and actor on the project, with a statement of probable cause saying that Baldwin should never have aimed the gun at Hutchins.
“The first rule of gun safety is never to point a gun at someone you don’t intend on shooting,” reads the statement, which adds that Baldwin failed to undergo “required firearms training prior to the commencement of filming."
“Baldwin drew the revolver from the holster, pointed it at Halyna Hutchins, and fired the weapon,” the affidavit from Robert Shilling, an investigator with the First Judicial District Attorney’s office, reads. “The evidence and statements documented in this affidavit confirm many instances of extremely reckless acts or reckless failures to act by Baldwin in a 10-day period. Baldwin’s deviation from known standards, practice and protocol directly caused the fatal death of Hutchins.”
Shilling continues, saying that “As the producer of a firearm intense film, evidence shows that Baldwin allowed, through acts or omissions, the hiring of inexperienced and unqualified [Gutierrez-Reed] for this production, failed to mitigate or establish more precautions to protect against [Gutierrez-Reed’s] inexperience, or failed to demand the minimum safety standards, protocols, and requirements on set.”
Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have both been charged with two counts each of involuntary manslaughter following the incident on the set of Rust. They will not be arrested; the district attorney’s office has confirmed.
Alec Baldwin’s Attorney Has Called the Charges a Miscarriage of Justice
These charges come over a year after the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, which also saw Rust director Joel Souza wounded by the same projectile that was fired from the prop gun. Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas has described the decision to charge the actor a “miscarriage of justice” saying, “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. We will fight these charges and we will win.”
The attorneys for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed meanwhile have stated again how their client “pleaded” for more safety training on the set of Rust. “Hannah pleaded to provide more firearms training,” attorneys Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion said. “She was denied and brushed aside. Hannah asked to be able to perform her armorer duties more for safety reasons. She was told by production to focus on props. Hannah asked Halls if they could us a plastic gun for the rehearsal scene and he said no, wanting a ‘real gun.’ Hannah asked to be called back into the church if Baldwin was going to use the gun at all and Halls failed to do that. We will fight these charges and expect that a jury will find Hannah not guilty.”
Filming on Rust is due to continue, with the movie "on track to be completed with Mr. Baldwin in the lead role and Joel Souza as director." Rust will be released and distributed in the United States by The Avenue.