On October 21, 2021, filming of the movie Rust had turned tragic on a New Mexico ranch after Alec Baldwin activated a gun that was meant to contain only blanks, but whose very real projectile killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza.
Alec Baldwin faces a manslaughter charge in New Mexico and faces an 18-month prison sentence, as does Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s gunsmith.
The 64-year-old actor was also targeted by an aggravating circumstance – for use of a firearm – that threatened him with five years behind bars.
Halyna Hutchins poses for a photo on her Instagram account.
Photo: Portal/Instagram/Halyna Hutchins
Judicial mess
However, this aggravating circumstance had been disputed by his legal team on the grounds that it was based on a New Mexico law that was not in effect at the time of the tragedy. She was eventually dropped by prosecutors to avoid wasting time, they said.
Alec Baldwin is also the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by the victim’s parents and sister, the family attorney said Thursday.
The actor, best known for his role on the series 30 Rock, has always maintained his innocence. He was assured his gun was harmless and denied pulling the trigger. This claim is questioned by several specialists.
This rare news had shocked Hollywood and had a powerful impact, sparking calls for firearms to be banned on sets where the presence of live ammunition is already theoretically banned.