Alec Baldwin could face up to five years in prison for a fatal movie set shooting that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
As previously reported, the 64-year-old was formally charged this week with involuntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act over the incident, which saw 42-year-old Hutchins accidentally shot with a prop gun on the set of the movie Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin has maintained that he had not been aware that the prop gun he was holding had been loaded with live rounds and, as he was rehearsing scenes in front of the camera, the gun discharged and fatally wounded Hutchins.
The 30 Rock actor has already vowed to fight the charges, with his lawyer calling them a "terrible miscarriage of justice," per Sky News.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapons on the Rust set, has also been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Legal experts believe that prosecutors will have great difficulty convicting Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin without proof that the pair knew the gun had live ammunition but failed to take precautions.
The Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies made a statement about the charges, saying: "Actor and producer Alec Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. I have determined that there is sufficient evidence [...] On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice," per BBC News.
Carmack-Altwies has listed several issues with Baldwin's conduct - including that he failed to show up for firearms training and during a subsequent 30-minute on-set training he was too distracted to pay attention as he had been on the phone to his family. She also accused Baldwin of violating gun safety rules by pointing the gun directly at Hutchins.
The two charges against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed mean they are facing up to five years in prison, Insider details. However, it is important to note that the pair can only be charged on only one charge each, with each charge carrying a sentence of 18 months and $5,000 fines. To convict on involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors must prove to the jury that Hutchins' death was the result of underlying negligence.
Baldwin's lawyer, Luke Nikas, called the decision "a terrible miscarriage of justice." He added (via AP): "Mr Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun - or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win."
