Alec Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

[nightwing1240]

Actor Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was killed on a film set when he fired a prop gun.

Mr Baldwin had been rehearsing a scene for the Western film Rust when the shooting happened at a ranch near Sante Fe, New Mexico in October 2021.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film's armourer, will also be charged.

Lawyers for both said they intended to fight the charges in court.

Santa Fe's District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced the charges on Thursday, adding that they would be filed by the end of the month.

"Actor and producer Alec Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter," the statement read. "I have determined that there is sufficient evidence."

"On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice," she said.

Both face up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 (£4,040) fine if convicted. They will be tried by a jury, prosecutors said.

Link - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64337761
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I am not quite sure what to think of this. I had the impression the shooting was accidental. I can understand negligence on the part of whomever allowed live ammunition on the set. Perhaps a legal mind can explain this better.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Baldwin hasn't been convicted.

There was so much confusion at the scene when the shooting occurred.

I can understand why there has to be a trial and evidence presented.

Baldwin can only be convicted if there is proof without a reasonable doubt that he was responsible for Reed's death.

While he would be charged with involuntary manslaughter, he has the opportunity to prove the events were accidental on his part.

New Mexico statute for involuntary manslaughter:

B. Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.

Whoever commits involuntary manslaughter is guilty of a fourth degree felony.

https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2019/chapter-30/article-2/section-30-2-3/

[FBaggins]

2. Note that the charge is involuntary manslaughter

That means that your impression “that it was an accident” matches the impression of the authorities.

But an accident that causes someone else’s death can still be a crime.

[C0RI0LANUS]

3. Ave, nightwing1240!!

This tragedy begets a question: Do we in the US need another Western movie? Another movie with guns and violence? Should Mr Baldwin be exonerated, he'd be silly to contemplate making a movie in the future involving firearms or violence.

Two TV investigators from the 1970s never carried firearms: Lt Columbo and Banacek. And one of the few episodes of Seinfeld I disliked was the cable theft affair, and there was a dream sequence of a shoot-out.

I stopped watching TV and films years ago. But I catch glimpses of the movie trailers on the internet and see the same old stuff being re-hashed.