Alec Baldwin to make first court appearance this month over fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on Rust set | US News

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin will make his first US court appearance on Feb. 24 in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin, 64, faces two counts of manslaughter for an incident that occurred on the set of the Rust movie in October 2021.

He was formally charged with those crimes Tuesday by the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office, along with the film’s Armory, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

In a probable cause statement filed with the charges, the district claimed that Baldwin’s “reckless deviation from known standards, practices and protocols” directly contributed to the fatal shooting.

Baldwin He will appear in Santa Fe District Court at 10 a.m. local time on February 24 for an arraignment hearing.

The Press Association News Agency said it understood the hearing was likely to be virtual.

In its report, the district attorney accused the actor of showing “willful disregard” for the safety of others and failing to participate in “mandatory” firearms training in the days leading up to the incident.

Instead, he did a 30-minute on-set workout during which he Being distracted by calls to family membersthe district attorney said.

On the day of the shooting, there were “no less than a dozen reckless acts or omissions” at the scene in the period leading up to the incident, the statement added.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is the armorer on the Rust set. File image: Shutterstock
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is the armorer on the Rust set. File image: Shutterstock

“The evidence and statements recorded in this affidavit substantiate numerous extremely reckless acts or reckless inactions by Baldwin over a 10-day period,” the statement read.

“The evidence clearly shows that Baldwin, as an actor or producer, did not address any incident or issue to mitigate future reckless behavior, correct reckless behavior, or correct training deficiencies.

“Baldwin’s departure from known standards, practices, and protocols was a direct result of Hutchins

The prosecutor’s office previously said that both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reid would be charged “alternately” with two counts of manslaughter, meaning a jury would have to decide not only whether they were guilty but also which involuntary homicide they were based on. Guilty by definition.

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Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins appears in this undated handout photo received by Reuters on Oct. 23, 2021. Mandatory credit Handout by SWEN STUDIOS/REUTERS. Editor's Note - This image was provided by a third party.mandatory credit
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Halyna Hutchins shot dead on Rust set

The first charge may be called manslaughter and requires evidence of underlying negligence.

The charge also includes a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a firearm, which could be legally combined.

The second charge, manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, requires proof that the death was more than simple negligence.

Both charges are fourth-degree felonies under New Mexico law and carry a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 (£4,000) fine.

The second charge involves enhancing a firearm or increasing the mandatory penalty, which makes the offense a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

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