Actor Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter for handling the gun that discharged a bullet on the set of Rust in 2021, and led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, according to reports.
Prosecutors in New Mexico, where the movie was being filmed, have said that he will be charged with two counts as he failed to ensure that safety checks were properly carried out, and that the gun should never have been aimed at someone.
The movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, will also be charged with two counts.
The first charge is for involuntary manslaughter, which prosecutors will aim to prove was caused by underlying negligence, and carries a sentence of 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine upon conviction.
The second charge is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, which prosecutors said requires proof there was more than negligence involved in the death. This could result in an addition five years in jail.
The 30 Rock actor has continued to deny any responsibility, saying in a televised interview last year: "Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me."
He has claimed that he was following direction when the gun discharged.
Assistant director David Halls signed a plea deal which resulted in a suspended sentence and six months probation.
Special prosecutor Andrea Reeb said in a statement: "If any one of these three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls — had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It’s that simple. The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set."
A legal representative for Alec Baldwin said in a statement released today: "This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’s tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.
"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."
