NOS News•
The New Mexico State Attorney’s Office has filed charges against actor Alec Baldwin for fatally beating a camerawoman on the set of the film Rust toned. As a result, he could receive up to eighteen months in prison.
Baldwin is charged with wrongful death. Initially, the prosecutors wanted to add an aggravating element to this, namely that the death was caused by the use of a firearm. That could have resulted in a minimum prison sentence of five years.
The problem is that this aggravating element will not be included in the New Mexico code until 2022. The deadly shooting incident happened way back in 2021. Baldwin’s attorneys objected to the charges and so did the attorneys for the woman who oversaw the guns on set. She is also charged with wrongful death.
To avoid legal wrangling, prosecutors are dropping the aggravating element from the indictment, they said today.
Not safe
According to the Los Angeles Times Baldwin pulled a gun from his holster twice during the filming. It went off the second time. Camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was fatally hit, director Joel Souza was able to go home after being admitted to hospital.
Baldwin has always said that the woman’s death was not his fault. According to him, the bullets should never have been on the set. He also said he was told the gun was safe to use.
The recordings of Rust will resume shortly. “In everything I do for this film, I want to honor Halyna’s legacy and make her proud. It’s a privilege to make this happen on her behalf,” director Souza said in a statement.
