Prosecutors seek to recharge Alec Baldwin in the 'Rust' movie shooting

[Leroy N. Soetoro]

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/17/1206653370/prosecutors-seek-to-recharge-
alec-baldwin-in-the-rust-movie-shooting

Special prosecutors say they plan to present the New Mexico Grand Jury
with a criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of the
cinematographer on the movie set of Rust.

Baldwin was one of the producers of the Western movie, which was being
filmed on a ranch outside Santa Fe in October of 2021. As an actor, he was
holding the gun that went off during a rehearsal. Baldwin pointed the Colt
.45, which was not supposed to have been loaded, directly at the camera,
and the bullet that went off killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and
wounded director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has long maintained he should not be held responsible for the
shooting. He told authorities and reporters that he remembers pulling back
the hammer of the gun, but not the trigger.

Five months ago, the special prosecutors dropped involuntary manslaughter
charges against him, saying they were informed the gun might have been
modified before the shooting and malfunctioned. But they left open the
possibility of refiling the case against Baldwin.

Since then, the prosecutors reportedly received a new analysis of the gun
that was used.

"After [an] extensive investigation over the past several months,
additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has
criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins and the shooting of
Joel Souza," read a statement by attorneys Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J.
Lewis. "We believe the appropriate course of action is to permit a panel
of New Mexico citizens to determine from here whether Mr. Baldwin should
be held over for criminal trial."

Baldwin's attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro responded to the news in
their own statement. "It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been
turned into this misguided prosecution," they wrote. "We will answer any
charges in court."

Meanwhile, the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, is set to go on
trial in February. She has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter
and evidence tampering in the case.

Last Spring, the film's assistant director and safety coordinator David
Halls pleaded no contest to unsafe handling of a firearm and received a
suspended sentence of six months of probation.

The legal saga has continued for years; Among other twists and turns, the
initial special prosecutor and district attorney both resigned. The
cinematographer's widower, Matthew Hutchins dropped a wrongful death
lawsuit against Baldwin. As part of the agreement, he was made an
executive producer of Rust. The film's remaining scenes wrapped in Montana
in May.


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