February 1, 2023 08:13
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Actor Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reid’s gun handler on “Rust” were charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting that killed cinematographer Helena Hutchins while filming the movie in New Mexico in 2021, according to court documents.
Mary Carmack Altoise had brought the charges after months of speculation about whether she would find evidence that Baldwin had shown criminal disregard for safety when he fired a live bullet from a trained gun that killed Hutchins.
Baldwin and Gutierrez each charged Reed with two counts of manslaughter. The more serious charge, which could carry up to five years in prison, requires prosecutors to convince the jury that Baldwin was not only negligent, but reckless in his use of the firearm.
Possible cause is contained in a statement attached to the charges that describes Baldwin as an actor and producer of the film: “On the day of filming alone, the evidence shows that no less than 12 acts, or omissions of the bounds of recklessness, occurred in the short time prior to lunch and the time of shooting, which does not includes reckless handling of a firearm by Baldwin.”
Baldwin denies responsibility for the shooting, saying he aimed the gun but never pulled the trigger, and that it was the job of Gutierrez Reed and other gun officials to make sure there were no bullets in it.
Source: agencies
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