Alec Baldwin Becomes First Hollywood Star To Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter For Death On Sets

Gossip Girl actor Alec Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday due to his alleged "reckless" behaviour that caused the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of the movie Rust in New Mexico in 2021, as stated in court records.

After much speculation and following an investigation, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has filed charges against Alec Baldwin, alleging that his behaviour was criminally negligent in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins while they were rehearsing with a revolver on the set of the movie Rust.

Both Baldwin and set armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The most severe charge, which carries a potential five-year jail sentence, requires the prosecution to prove that Baldwin acted with deliberate disregard for the safety of others.

Although Baldwin's lawyer has declined to comment, Gutierrez-Reed's lawyer said the prosecutor had "completely misunderstood the facts and has reached the wrong conclusions."

It is a rare occurrence for a Hollywood actor to be faced with criminal charges for a death that occurs on a film set, which makes Baldwin's case noteworthy. The probable cause statement made by the prosecution's special investigator, Robert Shilling, emphasised that Baldwin is being charged for his role as both an actor and producer in the low-budget movie.

According to Robert Shilling, Baldwin's failure to receive proper firearms training, his failure to verify if the revolver was loaded with the armorer, and his ignoring of safety concerns raised by crew members were some of the many examples of his "extremely reckless acts or reckless failures to act" in the 10 days leading up to Hutchins' death.

Alec Baldwin, best known for his role in the television show 30 Rock, has disputed the claims that he is responsible for the shooting incident on the movie set, inside a church. He stated that Hutchins instructed him to aim the gun towards the camera, he cocked the revolver, but he never pulled the trigger.

He claimed that live ammunition should never have been permitted on the set, and it was the responsibility of Gutierrez-Reed and the first assistant director, Dave Halls, to make sure the gun was unloaded. This stance is supported by many actors and the SAG-AFTRA union.

According to Shilling, videos recorded inside the church prior to the shooting depict Baldwin with his finger on the trigger. An FBI forensic examination of the revolver revealed that it "functioned normally" and would not fire without the trigger being pulled.

The prosecution used Baldwin's statements to the media as evidence against him, stating that the investigation indicated he disregarded firearm safety protocols that he himself had outlined in TV interviews.

"Baldwin would have been better served not making public statements about these incidents," said Kate Mangels, an attorney with entertainment law firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley.

However, legal analysts believe that the prosecution may have a difficult time convincing a jury of Baldwin's criminal responsibility, as he was led to believe that the gun was unloaded. It would also be challenging to hold him accountable for all the alleged safety shortcomings on the movie set. No other producer associated with "Rust" has been charged.