Actor Alec Baldwin will face involuntary manslaughter charges due to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western Rust. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also be charged.
In a statement on Thursday, New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies outlined that enough evidence had come about over the course of the last 15 months–Hutchins was killed in October 2021–to place charges on Alec Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed. “After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew…On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”
Adding to that, special prosecutor Andrea Reeb stated, “If any one of these three people—Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or [assistant director] David Halls—had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It’s that simple…The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.” Halls does not appear to be facing any criminal charges, as he signed a plea deal.
This latest development surrounding the accidental death on the set of Rust adds another dramatic element to the tragic situation that undoubtedly puts Alec Baldwin in a far worse situation than he may have been anticipating. In October, Alec Baldwin and the estate of Halyna Hutchins settled their dispute, with Hutchins’ husband agreeing that it was a “terrible accident.” the following month, Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit against key Rust crew members (including Gutierrez-Reed and Halls), with the suit saying, in part, “more than anyone else on that set, Baldwin has been wrongfully viewed as the perpetrator of this tragedy.”
While filming on Rust was set to resume this month, the charges against lead Alec Baldwin and the movie’s cinematographer could put the final nail in the production, perhaps for the best. What will happen as a result of the charges remains to be seen, but it would certainly make for a worthwhile bonus scene to “WTF Happened to Alec Baldwin?”
How do you feel about the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin? Will his career recover? Should Rust resume production at some point? Let us know your thoughts on the situation in the comments section below.