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SANTA FE, New Mexico -(Ammoland.com)- Alec Baldwin is facing up to 18 months in prison for two counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the accidental shooting on the set of the western movie “Rust.”
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, daughter of famed stuntman Thell Reed, is also facing 18 months in prison for two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The charges were announced Thursday by New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies. The charges were filed after a yearlong investigation by Santa Fe Police. They stem from the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. During the filming of “Rust,” Baldwin was handed a loaded firearm by assistant director David Halls. Gutierrez-Reed was not the one giving the gun to the actor, violating Hollywood’s safety protocols for handling firearms.
The Hutchins family said they agreed with the charges filed by the DA.
Baldwin allegedly pulled the trigger shooting and killing Hutchins. Baldwin, who was an executive producer of the movie in addition to starring in it, claims that he never pulled the trigger on the revolver. Either way, the firearm was loaded with live rounds. After the killing, Baldwin could be seen immediately calling his attorney. Gutierrez-Reed told police she was worried about her career now that a crew member died on the set due to a loaded gun.
The accidental killing came shortly after multiple crew members quit the movie over concerns about the safety of firearms handling.
Some workers worried that Gutierrez-Reed did not have the experience to be a head armorer. Gutierrez-Reed acknowledged in a now-deleted Internet post that she probably did not have the experience to work on the set as a head armorer.
For her part, Ms. Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys claim that someone must have put a live round in the dummy round box. She does not seem to take responsibility for the loaded firearm. Her lawyer suggested that who put the live round in the dummy round box should be investigated.
“Never in a million years did Hannah think that live rounds could have been in the ‘dummy’ round box,” Guiterrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said in a statement after the fatal shooting. “Who put those in there and why is the central question.”
Baldwin is also not taking responsibility for the shooting. His lawyers believe that he is being unfairly prosecuted. In a statement given to Fox News, Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas of powerhouse law firm Quinn Emanuel called charges against his famous client a “miscarriage of justice.”
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice,” Nikas said. “Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun – or anywhere on the movie set. He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Assistant director Dave Halls took a plea deal for a charge of the negligent use of a deadly weapon. Halls will not serve any time. He will, however, face a suspended sentence and six months of probation.
The family of Hutchens also filed a wrongful death suit against Baldwin in the producers of “Rust.” They asked for funeral costs and other damages. The case was filed in February of last year and was settled in October of last year.
Involuntary manslaughter is a class D felony in New Mexico. The DA has requested emergency funding to prosecute the case against up to four defendants. If Baldwin and Guiterrez-Reed choose not to fight the case, they could be looking at up to 18 months in prison.
Filming of “Rust” is due to resume this month, although it will not be filmed in New Mexico.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
mm44, To be honest, I don’t think he will be convicted. The reason? The prosecutor goes on Fox news and talks about the case and why he is guilty. When I saw them talking to Judge Pirot, it sounded like they were trying to convince her and the nation of his guilt rather than trying him in a court of law. It could very well be that Baldwin never pulled the trigger, like he said, but like the dumbkoff he actually is, with no familiarity with single action revolvers, he may just have had his finger on the trigger when… Read more »
Plain and simple, the responsibility lies with the person holding the gun. It doesn’t matter whether live and dummy rounds were mixed, the armorer should have checked, yadayadayada….All of this “other” minutia is irrelevant, and it’s only purpose being there is to muddy the waters.
I agree with you, but I would add that had he personally checked the gun, himself, he probably would have not known whether the gun had dummy rounds or live ammo in it. The whole Rust movie was doomed from the start, IMO, especially because Alec was involved.
Actually a mandatory 5 year minimum because the charge has a handgun attachment with the charge.
That’s the one that the Judge-in-Baldwin’spocket will plea bargain away! 🙂
Baldwin supposedly didn’t know the pistol was loaded and was told: “It’s a cold gun”, (when did any of us gun enthusiasts and military veterans ever hear such a term?). NEVER has the old saw, “ignorance is no excuse”, been more fitting.
If that will be his defense in court, to paraphrase Massad Ayoob, he’ll end up with a guilty man’s verdict.
that is what progressives do, take no responsibility for what they do. evidently it works for the armorer also, not my fault even though it was my job.
hopefully he will become a prohibited person and never be able to make a movie with a firearm in it again. or even make another movie again, he is a terrible actor.
One generally has to break all four commandments of gun safety in order to “accidentally” shoot someone.
Like, just for example… an actor were to be handed the loaded gun, not check it but proceed on the incorrect assumption that it isn’t loaded, so he then points it directly at some girl’s chest, and pulls the trigger? You mean a stack up of all four errors like that could actually happen? Nahhh. Impossible. 🙂
Like all anti-gun leftists, Baldwin thinks that guns shoot all on their own without human intervention. I’ve seen the video of Baldwin drawing his gun and pointing it, and every time he did this – EVERY TIME – HIS FINGER WAS ON THE TRIGGER!!
He should be executed for that level of stupidity alone!
True, but he understood it to be a PROP, not a gun.
“Prop” is short for “property”. It refers to ownership, not function. Could be a real gun, could be a rubber gun.
Additionally, it was reported that crew members were shooting live rounds with those “props” in their time off. Did Baldwin go shooting with the crew, too? Did he know they were going out shooting?
Given how remote the set was, and how small the cast and crew, I’d guess everyone knew about the recreational shooting.
I truly dislike AB, but also feel the prop master shares (I said “shares”) the responsibility.
Really? So I guess this American Heritage Dictionary definition is wrong? Can you let them know of their error so they can correct it please?
prop
prŏp
noun1.A propeller.
2 Any of the articles other than costumes and scenery used by an actor or performer during a performance on stage or in a film.
3 Someone or something displayed to impress others or provide a false impression.
No you didn’t hear anything erroneous. It was at the start, but I believe that private entities have now put the kabosh on it so as not to enrage the general populace. The fact that the armorer did not have the ‘prop’ guns under lock and key at all times and the fact that she allowed live ammunition within a mile of the set………..The first time that anyone went out and did live round shooting should have been enough to shut down the movie until it was deemed safe by the armorer. And it all comes down to Alec being… Read more »
Well, if she had done her job and secured the firearms like she was supposed to do, she would have known…….right? People quit the day before noting the lack of safety on the set..It should have been shut down then and all the issues fixed before going on with the movie. It ALL stems from the low budget and Baldwin’s greed. He WAS negligent!
I guess since I wasn’t there to witness the tragedy, I can’t speak for anyone else. SOMEONE sure screwed up that’s for sure. I’d just like to know how a guy can get charged twice for the same crime. Was their two deaths and I only heard about one?
Actually he will get off on it.
Agreed! But, my money is on him not actually doing any time, and if convicted of anything, it will be no more than a misdemeanor.
CBS narrative Alec Baldwin was holding a gun that discharged ? Guess if fired itself ? How does this happen with a single action revolver when the hammer has to be cocked and the trigger must be pulled to make it fire ?
He will probably serve only 18 weeks… 2-tier ‘justice’!!
A rich, mouthy, leftist democrat actor? He’ll never do a day behind bars.
Time will tell… You may be right! But Baldwin’s flat-out denial that he pulled the trigger (guns shoot themselves according to anti-gun leftists) puts him squarely in the LIAR category and will come back to haunt him not only at trial, but at sentencing! Don’t forget the video evidence that shows every time he drew the gun and presented it on camera, his finger was on the trigger every time he presented the gun. Hell, I used it for a meme. I REALLY hope he actually does hard time!!
As a felon he would not even be allowed to have one on set. Not sure about a percussion firearm or a plastic casting.
He should be charged with negligent homicide. Regardless of who loaded the firearm; the shooter has the end responsibility of ensuring it is operated safely. That includes controlling the muzzle direction etc. He did not exercise due caution with a firearm. AND I wonder why TV and motion picture productions do not use non-firing replicas instead of real firearms!
Baldwin professes basic firearm safety knowledge. Therefore he knew that, “Every gun is always loaded.” That means that he pointed a gun THAT HE KNEW WAS LOADED at someone and pulled the trigger. I call that First Degree Murder.
You had me until the last sentence. Still, I gave you a upvote for the first part
1st degree is premeditated.
13 months before an indictment ? How are the People of New Mexico served by that delay ? …
And, I expect he continues to enjoyed a “full carry” license issued by the City of New York, recognized by the State of New York; no ERPO issued by Letticia ? … How many other states does alec enjoy “carry” privileges in ?
Or does he have an “honorary” HR218/S1132 exemption, or perhaps he is certified as a “peace officer”.
Thankfully, we all live in a country where there is “equal justice for all”.
…
Dont forget Biden was going to hire him and 86,999 others to be IRS criminal investigative agents!
Apparently the accused right to a speedy and public trial for his stupidity is being held up by the same method that the 1/6 protesters are. It’s called…IGNORING THE CONSTITUTION. WHAT Constitution? https://courageouslion380.substack.com/p/constitution
This ain’t going to be popular and I know what a meat head he is BUT, if that revolver had no half cock on it, it is possible to fire the weapon without pulling the trigger. Simply pull the hammer back to a point just before it locks into battery and release it without your finger on the trigger. It WILL go off. It might shave a bit of lead for not being exactly “in time” but it will go off. This works with Rugers, Smiths and some Colt repos. I had an AD exactly this way long, long ago.… Read more »
And it only took them 2 years of intensive ‘study’ to figure out that pointing guns at people and pulling the trigger is not legal? WOW! Not bad for a Fucking Bunch of Idiots, huh? 🙂
Shoot a person, immediately call a lawyer. That shows where his heart is, or at least his thinking. He has no heart. I hope he spends a fortune on his movie, and no one goes to see it.
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving asshat. Baldwin has been very anti-gun in personal life, yet making millions from handling firearms. More Libturd hypocrisy. He violated the first four basic firearm handling rules. -Treat all firearms as if loaded…with LIVE rounds for those Libturds out there. -Keep your finger off the trigger until on intended target and ready to shoot. -Never point a firearm at anything you don;t intend to destroy. -Be sure of what is beyond your intended target. There is no fifth rule stating…..above four do not apply in Hollyweird make believe world. Four strikes, you’re in prison.… Read more »
Good morning.
Accord, Ms. Hutchins is gonna be dead a long time. Lex talionis?
Thanks, stay well.
RF
I am pleased to learn that manslaughter is a more serious charge than negligent homicide, let’s hope Baldwin (can we now call him ‘Rusty’?) does not plead down to it. Either way his carry permit(s) is revoked and he is not allowed to legally touch a gun on camera or off. But Crumpy, isn’t it premature to write “the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins” when we do not yet know the how and why a live round (or rounds?) was/were loaded into the revolver?
“Rusty”! Am I a bad person for laughing at that?
He is also eligible for the enhancement of using a firearm which is a mandatory 5 years on top of what the other charges carry.
Here’s hoping his prison name is “Bendover” Baldwin. Oldvet is right, 18 months isn’t enough. He should be doing 5-10.
Baldwin will plead to a lesser crime…excessive noise. The gun expert will take the fall.
18 months doesn’t sound like much, but it is the standard range for that crime. He will, if convicted, become a felon for 5 years at least, that has a sweet ring to it. He cannot VOTE during his period as a felon, another fun fact he will despise, hahaha. Many people thought Baldwin would skate, I was cautiously optimistic he would be charged. Unlike OJ, cameras were rolling when this pathetic excuse for a man PULLED the trigger on that Colt wheel gun, hard to defeat those videos. Now, let the civil suits commence. I hope, because he would… Read more »
What… That’s not enough at all.
Probation for a rich person is nothing more than a signature on a piece of paper.. they’ll pay someone to do anything probation demands. He will get maybe one year probation in the ridiculous gray area our justice system works.
Like all anti-gun leftists, Baldwin thinks that guns shoot all on their own without human intervention. I’ve seen the video of Baldwin drawing his gun and pointing it, and every time he did this – EVERY TIME – HIS FINGER WAS ON THE TRIGGER!! This is why all leftists should be barred from handling any firearm; their hoplophobia makes them an imminent danger to themselves and anyone near them! I’d say they ought to get safety training, but Baldwin had that training since he’s done so many movies over the decades where he shot a prop gun, and we all… Read more »
IF any time is served it will be in the country club prison for sure.Yeah that’s justice for who ?
Should be 18 years for lying . Claims he never pulled the trigger and is sticking to that lie . The gun never did it by itself but Hollywood elites can make it up any way they want it to be . It’s called acting like your innocent. He will be exposed for the lying scumbag he is real soon .
I would add that obviously Thell Reed either missed a lesson or two with his daughter, or she wasn’t paying attention.
Scuttlebutt is, there were problems on other sets where she worked as an armorer.
There are Four Cardinal Rules of Gun Safety. They are rules for a reason, as violating or ignoring any one or all of those rules can lead to injury or death, either yours or another’s. Baldwin and Reed-Gutierrez violated all Four Rules of Gun Safety, and as a result of their negligence, a woman died needlessly.
They both deserve to pay the consequences for their negligence. If it costs both of them their Hollywood careers, then so be it.
Have been watching this Baldwin thing for some time now. Haven’t commented until now. There are 2 truths here; The first is that on these old revolvers if you pull the hammer just short of Half Cock and let it go, it can with the right primer go off. No trigger involved! The second truth is that a revolver is the easiest gun to check for having cartridges in cylinder. All involved is a simple turn to the right, check gap for rims, then turn to left and check again. It either has cartridges or it doesn’t. There is definitely… Read more »
Whatever he gets, if anything, (I am very doubtful), it won’t be enough. As far as the armorer, I heard that she wasn’t even on set that particular day. I don’t know if that is true, but if it is, I would move for dismissal in her case.
Facts are not relevant where progressive leftists are involved
All things considered, I think you have just penned the 11th Commandment!
LOL
If the armorer was not on set that day, by the rules of the motion picture industry, there could be no handling of ‘real weapons’. Again, the armorer did not do her job and neither did Baldwin.
I don’t like Baldwin a whole lot because of his communistic view of society. HOWEVER, I also see him as a victim from this incident. He really isn’t a gun guy. He actually BELIEVES he didn’t pull the trigger. But the worse part is that the people in charge of giving him his PROPS didn’t make sure the “prop” wasn’t charged with live ammo. He thought he had a prop. He’s a jerk, he’s dumb, but he’s also a victim with this. Sucks to be him.
They know what happened was accidental. This action is designed to intimidate observing Americans that it’s impossible to touch a firearm in this country [in any capacity] without facing some kind of phony criminal charge!
I’m not sure I agree with your supposition. I think the evidence was so overwhelming that charges had to be. I know from reports I’ve read, there’s at least 2 camera angles showing Baldwin killing this person.
Baldwin is guilty of not verifying that the gun was cleared, he knows to do that. I agree that the anti’s want to convey the message that it’s not his fault, but most Americans know that Baldwin is guilty as sin.