(GoRealNewsNow.com) – HAPPENING NOW: Alec Baldwin must surrender himself before a judge within the next 15 days to face charges of manslaughter.
The infamous actor has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
The Santa Fe County district attorney has claimed that Baldwin, 64, was not adequately trained with firearms before filming and that his actions during the fatal shooting were a “reckless deviation from known standards and practice.”
Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the movie’s armorer, were each charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The Statement of Probable Cause filed by the district attorney today separates Baldwin’s actions into two sections – one as the lead actor and another as the primary producer of the film.
It says that Baldwin was not present for firearms training prior to filming, and when Gutierrez-Reed booked a training session for him, they only did 30 minutes of actual training because Baldwin was “distracted and talking on his cell phone.”
The district attorney also disputes Baldwin’s claims that he never pulled the weapon’s trigger and that the gun accidentally fired. The evidence, including photos and videos, clearly shows Baldwin with his finger on the trigger, and he reportedly approached responding officers and told them that he had fired the gun.
The shooting occurred during an unscheduled rehearsal that did not require the weapon to be fired, and a plastic or replica gun should have been used in that setting, according to expert armorers.
The probable cause statement also references the FBI’s analysis of the firearm, which showed that it could not have been accidentally fired.
Baldwin is also accused of failing to demand at least two safety checks before the shooting. The district attorney’s office stated, “if Baldwin had not pointed the gun at Hutchins and Souza, this tragedy would not have occurred.”
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are both charged “in the alternative,” meaning a jury can only convict them of one of the two counts.
The first count carries a maximum sentence of 18 months, while the second has a minimum sentence of five years.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed have maintained their innocence, while assistant director David Halls agreed to a plea deal for handing the loaded gun to Baldwin.
The case, which follows a year-long investigation, found that Baldwin, Halls, and Gutierrez-Reed all played a role in the tragedy.
Detectives in Sante Fe found a mixture of dummy and live rounds on the set, violating industry safety standards. Baldwin had been rehearsing a scene with the gun when he fired one round that struck both Hutchins and Director Joel Souza.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will need to appear before a judge within 15 days of the charges being filed.
Special prosecutor Andrea Reeb stated, “if any one of these three people had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today.”
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