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“Rust” star Alec Baldwin and the movie’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were officially charged Tuesday with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Prosecutors in Santa Fe, New Mexico, had taken nearly a year and a half to investigate the death, and announced on Jan. 19 that the two would face charges.
Hutchins died when a prop gun inexplicably loaded with a real bullet discharged as Baldwin pointed it at the camera, where Hutchins was seated, during a rehearsal on the Western set just outside of Santa Fe.
“The District Attorney and the special prosecutor are fully focused on securing justice for Halyna Hutchins,” First Judicial District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Heather Brewer said in a statement. “The evidence and the facts speak for themselves.”What is involuntary manslaughter?
Involuntary manslaughter is a charge brought when unintentional negligence results in the death of an individual. In this case, one of the two charges determines whether there was underlying negligence, and the other requires that there was more than simple negligence in Hutchins’ death.
Both charges are a fourth-degree felony, punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The latter charge also includes a firearm enhancement penalty, which is punishable by a mandatory five years in jail.
According to the prosecutor’s office, following the filing of charges each defendant will be issued a summons with the charging information which is followed by an arraignment date set by the court. That appearance can be done virtually, and defendants can even move to have their first appearance waived.
