Alec Baldwin May Be Charged In Fatal Film Set Accident
Alec Baldwin may find himself charged with the death of Halyna Hutchins.
This article is more than 2 years old
Alec Baldwin may not be off the hook when it comes to an accidental shooting incident that took place on the set of his latest movie — the indie-western film Rust. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed and director Joel Souza was wounded on the set of the movie in Bonanza Creek Ranch, New Mexico last week as Alec Baldwin was rehearsing for a scene that required him to draw his revolver. It’s unclear how exactly this happened, but at some point, a live round was loaded into the gun without the 63-year-old actor knowing. When Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger on the firearm, it went off resulting in one of the worst and most high-profile on-set tragedies in recent memory.
Now it seems that, even though the shooting seems to have been a horrible accident, Alec Baldwin is still not off the hook when it comes to facing potential criminal charges related to the incident. During a press conference on Wednesday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza gave his first public update on the case where he noted that neither the 30 Rock star nor any of the other cast or crew members have been cleared of charges. The investigation is still in its very early stages. As a result, Sheriff Mendoza said that it’s far too early to tell if criminal charges will be filed. However, he noted that should evidence come up that there was any criminally negligent or malicious intent found behind the incident, he would work with the district attorney to ensure that the parties involved will be prosecuted.
Regardless of whether or not he faces and criminal culpability in the case, Alec Baldwin is likely in for a world of legal trouble. Even in the event investigators don’t file any charges against him — which, again, is still very much a possibility at this time — he is definitely open to civil litigation. In addition to being one of the stars of Rust, Alec Baldwin was a producer on the film. As a result, experts told The Associated Press that he could be in for a world of legal proceedings regarding not only his involvement with the accident but for having his name attached to the project in a behind-the-scenes capacity. The payouts, according to the outlet, could be to the tune of “millions and millions” of dollars. While some would be covered by insurance held by the production company, Rust Movie Productions, it’s possible that Alec Baldwin himself could be on the hook for some of it.
Meanwhile, there are other people in the crosshairs of authorities besides Alec Baldwin over the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins. The set’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was one of the very few people who handled the gun prior to the accidental discharge. Also involved was assistant director Dave Halls, who was the one who handed the gun to Alec Baldwin, leading him to believe that the gun was not loaded with any live ammunition and was indeed safe to handle.
