What’s next for Alec Baldwin? The actor has 10 days before involuntary manslaughter charges are filed, then he will appear in court remotely… but he WILL NOT be arrested and will never be allowed to spend a single night in jail
- The indictment will be filed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, before the end of the month
- Baldwin will then appear before a judge virtually for the first time
- He will not be taken into custody – and likely not jailed unless convicted
- Prosecutors have brought two charges of involuntary manslaughter against him
- Together, he faces a mandatory five-year prison sentence if found guilty
Now that Alec Baldwin knows he faces involuntary manslaughter charges, he and his attorneys have begun putting together their defense.
Baldwin says he will vigorously fight the charges, calling them a “miscarriage of justice.”
Halyna Hutchins’ widower said he would support the charges.
Here, breaks down what’s next for Baldwin and gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.
Charges will be filed in a Santa Fe court
Today’s announcement informed the actor that charges will be filed, but the paperwork has not yet been filed with the court.
The reason for the delay is to allow the special attorney and the Santa Fe DA’s office to explain their decision in interviews with the press.
If the charges had been brought immediately, they would not have been able to share the reasons for the decision.
The indictment is expected to be filed before the end of the month.
Actor Alec Baldwin, 64, has vowed to crack down on involuntary manslaughter charges that will be brought against him by the end of the month
Once the charges are filed in court, Baldwin will be served with a subpoena — but he doesn’t have to travel to New Mexico to comply with it in person.
Instead, he is allowed to appear virtually before a judge.
Prosecutors confirmed today that they are not seeking an arrest for either Baldwin or Gutierrez-Reed.
The hearing is the first step in a long court process.
A judge must then review the evidence gathered by the prosecution and decide whether or not the case can be brought to trial.
This is known as the probable cause.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film set’s gunsmith, is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges
court hearing
If Baldwin pleads not guilty, which is what is expected of him, the case will go to court.
The allegations against him are complex. He is charged with double manslaughter for a single crime.
Mary Carmack-Altwies, New Mexico’s First Judicial District Attorney, stands firm
The first charge relates to whether he and Gutierrez-Reed acted recklessly.
“If this goes before a jury, they might find that they are guilty of both the first part of the involuntary … that they acted without due caution, which means not only were they negligent, but they were aware of that.” did they have responsibilities, they should have done something, they should have checked the bullets, they should have checked the gun, they should not have used that gun,” New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said on CNN.
“There was complacency on set, lack of care. It’s more than negligence and it amounts to recklessness.
‘The other [component] negligent use of a deadly weapon and that someone has handled, used or touched a weapon negligently. Once we show that, it can lead to the second theory of involuntary manslaughter.’
She has since confirmed that Baldwin and Reed face a mandatory five-year sentence if convicted of firearm improvement.
Appeal
If convicted, Baldwin has the right to an appeal and it is likely that he will file one.
Sentencing would likely be suspended until they did.
condemnation
Baldwin faces a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter with the firearm improvement discussed by prosecutors today.
The involuntary manslaughter charge carries a $5,000 fine.
Hutchins with her son and husband Matthew