Formal Manslaughter Charge Against Alec Baldwin Elicits Strong Promise From District Attorney
Actor Alec Baldwin's legal woes relating to the tragic shooting on the set of his film "Rust" just got even more real, according to a report from Variety. It was announced earlier this month that Baldwin would be charged with involuntary manslaughter in relation to the incident that occurred in 2021 in the state of New Mexico. The shooting tragically killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. Following the initial reports that Baldwin would be charged for his role in Hutchins's death, the actor posted to Instagram, but did not seem to address the news directly.
Previously, Mary Carmack-Altwies, New Mexico's First Judicial District Attorney said in a statement, via Rolling Stone, "After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the 'Rust' film crew." On Tuesday, Carmack-Altwies followed this up with a strong statement. "Today we have taken another important step in securing justice for Halyna Hutchins," she said, per CNBC. She added, "In New Mexico, no one is above the law and justice will be served." Carmack-Altwies' words come after the 64-year-old actor was formally charged in the case.
Alec Baldwin is not the only person newly charged
As anticipated, Variety writes that actor Alec Baldwin is facing a formal charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutcins, which is a criminal charge against the New York native. Also facing the same charge is the armorer for "Rust," Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. According to the outlet, each individual faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted, and that sentence could carry an additional five years because a firearm was used during the incident. In accordance with United States law, it should be noted that both individuals are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.
At the time of publication, Baldwin has not yet addressed the criminal charge that has been filed against him. However, Baldwin's attorney in the case, Luke Nikas, was earlier quoted as saying, "This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. We will fight these charges and we will win,"(via Variety).