Alec Baldwin news - live: Actor breaks silence as Halyna Hutchins’s husband welcomes charges in Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of Rust.

The actor is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced Thursday.

The first assistant director on Rust, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Meanwhile, the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Baldwin’s attorney responded to the news in a statement to The Independent, saying: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

Luke Nikas said they intend to “fight” the charges, and “win”.

The decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal shooting in October 2021, which occurred when a prop gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck director Joel Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.

Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”, meaning it had no live ammunition, and that he never pulled the trigger.

Key points

• Alec Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members charged in Rust shooting

• Read the DA’s reasons for charging Alec Baldwin in full

• Alec Baldwin vows to 'fight' the charges

• Matt Hutchins reacts to charges, read his statement in full

• Alec Baldwin tweets about David Crosby’s death hours after being charged in Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin will ‘fight’ manslaughter charges as lawyer blasts ‘miscarriage of justice’

05:01 , Graeme Massie

Alec Baldwin’s lawyer has described the involuntary manslaughter charges over the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins as a “terrible miscarriage of justice”.

Prosecutors announced Thursday that Baldwin will face two counts of involuntary manslaughter over Hutchins’ death on the movie set of Rust.

In a statement to The Independent, attorney Luke Nikas said: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.

Full story below.

Alec Baldwin’s lawyer responds to involuntary manslaughter charges

What legal experts say about Alec Baldwin charging decision over Rust shooting

04:01 , Graeme Massie

A decision by New Mexico authorities to bring involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin for the fatal Rust shooting of Halyna Hutchins has been called “bold” and “aggressive” by legal experts.

The Independent’s Graeme Massie has the story.

What do legal experts say ‘bold’ charging decisions mean for Alec Baldwin?

Piers Morgan accuses Alec Baldwin of ‘Hollywood arrogance’ amid Rust shooting charges

03:00 , Bevan Hurley

“There was no doubt that it was an accident but Halyna Hutchins died, leaving behind a grief-stricken husband and a young child and the person holding the gun that fired a bullet and killed her was Alec Baldwin,” said Piers Morgan on social media.

“It was him who did that, who fired a bullet into his co-worker’s body and snuffed out her life. Nobody else’s hands were anywhere near the gun.”

Read Annabel Nugent’s full story.

Piers Morgan accuses Alec Baldwin of ‘Hollywood arrogance’ amid Rust shooting charges

Halyna Hutchins’ final words after being shot on Alec Baldwin’s Rust set

02:00 , Bevan Hurley

Witnesses have revealed Halyna Hutchins’s last words in the moments after she was shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of his movie Rust.

Ms Hutchins, director of photography for the Western film, died on 21 October 2021 after Mr Baldwin discharged a firearm while practising a gun-drawing technique on the set in New Mexico.

Seconds after she was struck, Ms Hutchins cried out to a boom operator: “That was no good. That was no good at all,” according to a Los Angeles Times report based on interviews with 14 crew members.

Full story below.

Halyna Hutchins’ last words after Alec Baldwin shooting

Alec Baldwin tweets about David Crosby’s death hours after being charged in Rust shooting

01:15 , Graeme Massie

The 64-year-old is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental October 2021 shooting.

Alec Baldwin breaks silence after being charged in Rust shooting

A timeline of Alec and Hilaria Baldwin’s relationship

00:40 , Bevan Hurley

In their more than a decade of marriage, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin have reached many different milestones together.

After getting married in 2012, the pair expanded their family rapidly and most recently welcomed their seventh child in September. They’ve spoken candidly about different aspects of their marriage, including their 26 year age gap.

At the end of last year, the pair also addressed the struggle they’ve endured since the accidental shooting on the set of Alec’s movie, Rust. In October 2021, a prop gun being used by Alec fired a bullet; the result fatally wounded the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

The Independent’s Amber Raiken has more.

A timeline of Alec and Hilaria Baldwin’s relationship

What the charges against Alec Baldwin mean – and what’s next

00:10 , Bevan Hurley

The Independent’s Clémence Michallon writes that charges brought against Alec Baldwin could mark the “beginning of a lengthy legal saga”.

Former prosecutors and attorneys respond to ‘bold’ and ‘aggressive’ charges

Thursday 19 January 2023 22:39 , Bevan Hurley

The Independent’s Graeme Massie spoke with former prosecutors and attorneys about their thoughts on the charges being brought against Alec Baldwin.

Full story below.

What do legal experts say ‘bold’ charging decisions mean for Alec Baldwin?

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Thursday 19 January 2023 21:54 , Annabel Nugent

In light of the news that Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter, family and friends of Halyna Hutchins have remembered her life and career.

Halyna Hutchins: The cinematographer’s life and career

Father of camerawoman killed on 2014 movie set speaks to The Independent

Thursday 19 January 2023 21:30 , Annabel Nugent

The father of Sarah Jones, a camerawoman who was killed on the set of the 2014 film Midnight Rider, speaks to The Independent’s Bevan Hurley.

Richard Jones and his wife Elizabeth formed the Safety for Sarah non-profit to educate young filmmakers on the importance of following correct protocols on set, with the mantra: “Never forget, never again.”

Jones told The Independent that the shooting of Halyna Hutchins had resurfaced the pain he felt after his daughter’s death.

His daughter was killed on set. He hopes the Alec Baldwin charges will spur change

“There needs to be accountability for this tragedy, and I’m glad to see that work is being done to hold people accountable,” he told The Independent.

“It’s clear, as in the death of my daughter Sarah, there’s a chain of events that occurred. If any one of those professionals had done their job properly, it would have prevented this tragedy.”

Donald Trump Jr has been criticised – again– for his remarks about the shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 21:15 , Annabel Nugent

Donald Trump Jr has been critisied for his “hateful” response to the news that Alec Baldwin is being charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The son of the former US president was one of the first public figures to comment on the charges announced on Thursday (19 January).

It is not the first time he has publicly remarked on the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins in a manner that has been called “insensitive”.

In the aftermath of the shooting in 2021, Trump Jr sold T-shirts reading: “Guns don’t kill people. Alec Baldwin kills people.”

The Independent’s Holly Baxter looks at Trump Jr’s past comments on the incident.

Alec Baldwin has been charged — and Don Jr has something to say

Halyna Hutchins’s husband previously said he felt ‘anger’ towards Alec Baldwin

Thursday 19 January 2023 21:00 , Annabel Nugent

In February 2022, Halyna Hutchins’s husband said he felt “angry” seeing the actor speak about his wife’s death “so publicly”.

“I was angry to see him talk about her death so publicly in such a detailed way, and then to not accept responsibility after having just described killing her,” said Matt Hutchins on the Today show last year.

“The idea that the person holding the gun causing it to discharge is not rep is absurd to me.”

Halyna Hutchins’ husband says charges are a ‘comfort to the family'

Thursday 19 January 2023 20:42 , Annabel Nugent

In a statement issued after the announcement of the charges, Matt Hutchins said: “ We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”

Halyna Hutchins’s husband says shooting charges for Alec Baldwin are ‘comfort’

Former prosecutors and attorneys respond to ‘bold’ and ‘aggressive’ charges

Thursday 19 January 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

The Independent’s Graeme Massie spoke with former prosecutors and attorneys about their thoughts on the charges being brought against Alec Baldwin.

Read more:

What legal experts say about Alec Baldwin charging decision over Rust shooting

District attorney says that charges will be formally filed against actor before the end of January

Who is Alec Baldwin married to?

Thursday 19 January 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

Baldwin has been married to his wife Hilaria for more than 10 years. The couple met in 2011 and got married the following year.

A timeline of Alec and Hilaria Baldwin’s relationship: From tying the knot to welcoming seven children

In their more than a decade of marriage, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin have reached many different milestones together.

Halyna Hutchins’ last words after being on Alec Baldwin’s Rust set

Thursday 19 January 2023 19:00 , Inga Parkel

After interviewing 14 cast and crew members who were on the Rust set at the time of the fatal October 2021 shooting, the Los Angeles Times reported a secondhand account of what happened.

Halyna Hutchins’ final words after being shot on Alec Baldwin’s Rust set

Hutchins, director of photography for the Western film ‘Rust’ died on 21 October 2021 after Baldwin discharged a firearm while practising a gun-drawing technique on set

Read Matt Hutchins’s statement in full

Thursday 19 January 2023 18:14 , Annabel Nugent

The husband of Halyna Hutchins has reacted to news of the charges, stating that the charges are a “comfort to the family”.

Read his statement in full:

Halyna Hutchins’s husband says shooting charges for Alec Baldwin are ‘comfort’

Attorneys for Rust amourer criticise the investigation as ‘very flawed'

Thursday 19 January 2023 18:12 , Inga Parkel

The attorney of Hannah Gutierrez Reed has issued a statement responding to the charges, calling the investigation “very flawed”.

Reed – who will also be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the incident – was the armourer on Rust.

“Hannah is, and always has been, very emotional and sad about this tragic accident. But she did not commit involuntary manslaughter,” said Jason Bowles and Toff J Bullion.

Halyna Hutchins’s husband responds to charges

Thursday 19 January 2023 18:01 , Annabel Nugent

The husband of Halyna Hutchins has issued a statement in response to the charges.

Matt Hutchins thanked the DA for concluding their “thorough investigation and determining that chages for involuntary manslaughter are warranted”.

Hutchins said that their “independent investigation also supports charges are warranted”.

He said that it is a “comfort to the family” to know that ”no one is above the law”.

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 17:34 , Inga Parkel

Alec Baldwin’s attorney has said they intend to “fight these charges”.

Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting.

Alec Baldwin’s lawyer responds to involuntary manslaughter charges

Eliza Hutton, fiancé of Brandon Lee who died on ‘The Crow’ set, previously spoke out about gun safety

Thursday 19 January 2023 17:26 , Annabel Nugent

In the aftermath of the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins, Eliza Hutton – the fiancé of Brandon Lee – called for “alternatives to real guns on sets”.

Lee died in 1993 aged 28. The actor and son of the late action star Bruce Lee had been killed during the filming of The Crow after an actor fired a prop gun he believed to be loaded with blanks.

It was later discovered that a fragment of a dummy shell had been left in the gun’s barrel. Lee died in hospital following hours of surgery.

In October 2021, Hutton said: “I urge those in positions to make change to consider alternatives to real guns on sets.”

Eliza Hutton breaks silence on fiancé Brandon Lee’s death after Rust fatal shooting

Bevan Hurley explains the intricacies of what makes ‘Rust’ a complicated case

Thursday 19 January 2023 17:15 , Inga Parkel

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the ins and outs of the complicated case in light of the charges announced today.

Alec Baldwin shot a woman on set. He’s now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. What changed?

Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case

Donald Trump Jr criticised for ‘hateful’ reaction to Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ charges

Thursday 19 January 2023 17:10 , Annabel Nugent

Donald Trump Jr is among the first public figures to respond to the news.

The former US president’s son has been criticised for his “hateful” reaction to Alec Baldwin’s Rust charges.

“Maybe Alec Baldwin will be lucky enough to share a cell with Michael Avenatti,” Mr Trump Jr tweeted on Thursday (19 January) in response to the announcement.

Trump Jr under fire for ‘hateful’ reaction to Alec Baldwin charges

Read the statement from Alec Baldwin’s attorney

Thursday 19 January 2023 17:02 , Annabel Nugent

In a statement given to The Independent, Luke Nikas refuted the charges.

The actor’s attorney said they intend to “fight these charges” and “win”. Read the statement in full here...

Alec Baldwin’s lawyer responds to involuntary manslaughter

Alec Baldwin’s attorney says they will ‘fight’ the charges – ‘and win'

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:55 , Annabel Nugent

Alec Baldwin’s attorney has issued a statement in response to the charges.

Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel called the decision a “terrible miscarriage of justice”.

Nikas went on to say that Baldwin had “no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun” and that he relied on the professionals who assured him the gun did not have live rounds.

What does it mean to be charged with involuntary manslaughter?

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:49 , Annabel Nugent

Read our explanation on what today’s charges mean – and what the expected sentence for involuntary manslaughter is.

Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

Alec Baldwin marked the one-year anniversary of Halyna Hutchins’s death

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:45 , Annabel Nugent

In October last year, Alec Baldwin marked the one-year anniversary of Halyna Hutchins’s death with a post on social media.

On Friday (21 October), one year after the incident took place, Baldwin shared a photo of Hutchins to Instagram. “One year ago today…” he captioned the post.

Alec Baldwin remembers Halyna Hutchins on one-year anniversary of her death

Read the DA’s statement in full here

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:40 , Annabel Nugent

“After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the Rust film crew,” New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said on Thursday (19 January).

“On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”

Read the DA’s reasons for charging Alec Baldwin in full

‘No one is above the law'

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:29 , Annabel Nugent

Read the full statement from the DA explaning the reasons for the charges below...

Read the DA’s reasons for charging Alec Baldwin in full

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:13 , Annabel Nugent

In light of the news, this is everything Alec Baldwin has said about the incident.

The actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting.

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin, David Halls, and Hannah Gutierrez Reed to be charged

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:10 , Inga Parkel

In addition to Alec Baldwin, the film’s first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armourer on Rust, will also be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the incident.

Alec Baldwin charged over shooting of Halyna Hutchins

Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum of 18 months in prison

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:07 , Annabel Nugent

Alec Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental 2021 shooting.

The actor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The charge carries a maximum of 18 months in prison.

Alec Baldwin will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter

Thursday 19 January 2023 16:01 , Inga Parkel

Alec Baldwin will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of Rust.

Baldwin, 64, is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental October 2021 shooting, New Mexico first judicial district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced on Thursday.

Reports of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge will be confirmed shortly

Thursday 19 January 2023 15:56 , Annabel Nugent

Reports that Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins will be confirmed shortly. The DA will make a statement in approximately five minutes.

Alec Baldwin expected to be charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to reports

Thursday 19 January 2023 15:52 , Annabel Nugent

According to reports in The Wall Street Journal, prosecutors plan to charge Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Thursday 19 January 2023 15:50 , Roisin O'Connor

Halyna Hutchins died aged 42 on 21 October 2021 after being shot on the Rust set by a prop gun.

Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, in 1979, Halyna grew up on the Soviet base “surrounded by reindeer and nuclear submarines.”

She received a graduate degree in international journalism from the Kyiv National University and worked on British documentary productions in Europe, before graduating from the Los Angeles-based American Film Institute Conservatory in 2015.

Her portfolio includes A Luv Tale (2021), The Mad Hatter (2021) and Blindfire (2020).

She is survived by her husband Matt and their nine-year-old son Andros.

What is the difference between live ammunition and a blank cartridge?

Thursday 19 January 2023 15:30 , Inga Parkel

Investigators found that Hutchins had been fatally shot by a single bullet (live ammunition). The key difference between live ammunition and a blank cartridge is that the latter does not contain a bullet – the small tip found on live rounds, as depicted in the image below.

Most times, film sets use blank cartridges, which can still cause serious or even fatal injuries when fired at close range.

In November, court filings showed that the scope of the investigation had broadened to determine whether a local prop shop owner Seth Kenney may have included live ammunition with the blank and dummy rounds he supplied for the film set.

Kenny denied providing live ammunition to the set in a later statement to ABC News.

The question still remains: how did live ammunition get on set?

Why do films still use real guns?

Thursday 19 January 2023 15:00 , Inga Parkel

Not all film productions use real guns. Some use rubber props, others use airsoft guns to fire nonlethal pellets. The studios that use these alternative methods, instead create the actual firing in postproduction.

However, even at a time when advanced programs/software can create convincing gun scenes, there’s still difficulty in creating accurate replications of the weight and recoil of a real gun. And some actors can’t properly fake it.

Plus, the program/software used to digitally create these scenes are expensive. So, many times independent films like Rust, with lower budgets, rely on the use of real guns.

Filmmakers share their experience working with guns on set

Thursday 19 January 2023 14:30 , Inga Parkel

Hutchin’s death was a horrendous accident. In an article republished from The Conversation, two filmmakers share their experience about “what it’s really like working with firearms” on set.

Read it here:

We are filmmakers who work with guns. Here’s what to consider about the Alec Baldwin shooting

This is what it’s really like working with firearms — and what can happen when it all goes

What could Baldwin be charged with?

Thursday 19 January 2023 14:04 , Inga Parkel

In September last year, district attorney Carmack-Altwies announced four “possible defendants” including Baldwin and three others in the criminal probe into the case.

When contacted by the Santa Fe New Mexican at the time, she said the list of possible charges ranged from homicide to violations of state gun statutes.

Other individuals named in police affidavits in relation to the criminal investigation are the armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, and a local prop shop owner Seth Kenney.

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department initiated an investigation to determine how a live round was placed in the gun, why crew members had failed to notice the round, and why the gun fired.

Thursday 19 January 2023 13:34 , Roisin O'Connor

In 2021, a gun being used as a prop by actor Alec Baldwin went off on the set of Rust, killing the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding its director Joel Souza.

Ever since then, the authorities have been investigating to determine how a live round got into the gun that the 64-year-old actor was using, why crew members who inspected it on the set failed to notice it, and why the gun got fired.

Here’s everything he’s said about the case so far

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 12:46 , Roisin O'Connor

Alec Baldwin has had a career in TV and film for more than three decades. He is best known for his roles in 30 Rock, and has had roles in Beetlejuice, Glengarry Glen Ross and The Departed. He has also received acclaim for his impression of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.

Here’s an in-depth look at his life and career.

A history of Alec Baldwin’s career and life

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 12:00 , Peony Hirwani

Below is everything Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting in the past.

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Thursday 19 January 2023 11:01 , Peony Hirwani

Halyna Hutchins died aged 42 on 21 October 2021 after being shot on the Rust set by a prop gun.

Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, in 1979, Halyna grew up on the Soviet base “surrounded by reindeer and nuclear submarines.”

She received a graduate degree in international journalism from the Kyiv National University and worked on British documentary productions in Europe, before graduating from the Los Angeles-based American Film Institute Conservatory in 2015.

Her portfolio includes A Luv Tale (2021), The Mad Hatter (2021) and Blindfire (2020).

She is survived by her husband Matt and their nine-year-old son Andros.

Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit to ‘clear his name’ in fatal Rust shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 09:51 , Peony Hirwani

Last year, Alec Baldwin sued three crew members of the movie Rust over the fatal on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin’s lawsuit was filed in November 2022 at the Los Angeles Superior Court as a cross-complaint arising from a previous suit filed by the film’s script supervisor Mamie Mitchell.

Read more:

Alec Baldwin files lawsuit to ‘clear his name’ in fatal Rust shooting

Hilaria Baldwin’s daughter’s reaction to father Alec’s Rust shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 08:51 , Peony Hirwani

Last year, Hilaria Baldwin shared how her nine-year-old daughter, Carmen, reacted to the news of the fatal shooting involving her father Alec on the set of the movie Rust.

Read more:

Hilaria Baldwin reveals daughter’s sad reaction to father Alec’s ‘Rust’ shooting

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

Thursday 19 January 2023 07:51 , Peony Hirwani

Below is everything Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting in the past.

Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the Rust shooting

What could Baldwin be charged for?

Thursday 19 January 2023 06:51 , Peony Hirwani

In September last year, district attorney Carmack-Altwies announced four “possible defendants” including Baldwin and three others in the criminal probe into the case.

When contacted by the Santa Fe New Mexican at the time, she said the list of possible charges at ranged from homicide to violations of state gun statutes.

Other individuals named in police affidavits in relation to the criminal investigation are the armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, and a local prop shop owner Seth Kenney.

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department initiated an investigation to determine how a live round was placed in the gun, why crew members had failed to notice the round, and why the gun fired.

What happened at the Rust set?

Thursday 19 January 2023 05:51 , Inga Parkel

It’s been over a year since Hutchins died soon after being struck by a bullet on the Rust set.

A media storm followed the shooting and revealed inquests into the set conditions of the movie.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has put together a one-sheet breakdown detailing exactly what we know about the shooting and the aftermath that followed.

Read it here:

What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?

After an exhaustive 11-month investigation, authorities in New Mexico appear close to filing criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, writes Bevan Hurley

How did Alec Baldwin mark anniversary of Halyna Hutchins’ death on set of Rust

Thursday 19 January 2023 04:51 , Peony Hirwani

Alec Baldwin marked the one-year anniversary of the death of Halyna Hutchins with a social media post.

The mother-of-one was fatally shot while on the set of Rust last year after a prop gun the Hollywood actor was holding was discharged.

In a post, Baldwin shared an image of the cinematographer with the caption: “One year ago today…”

Read more:

Alec Baldwin remembers Halyna Hutchins on one-year anniversary of her death

District attorney to announce whether Alec Baldwin will face criminal charges on Thursday

Thursday 19 January 2023 03:51 , Peony Hirwani

The District Attorney in Santa Fe will announce whether Rust film crew members will be criminally charged over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Thursday.

Read more:

Santa Fe district attorney to announce Rust shooting criminal charges

Who could be charged?

Thursday 19 January 2023 02:51 , Tom Murray

In September last year, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced four “possible defendants” including Baldwin and three others while asking New Mexico’s Board of Finance for additional funding to complete the investigation.

Other individuals named in police affidavits in relation to the criminal investigation are the armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, and a local prop shop owner Seth Kenney.

All three people who handled the weapon – Halls, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed – were cooperating with the investigation, authorities said at the time.

Baldwin reached a settlement with Hutchins’s family last year

Thursday 19 January 2023 02:20 , Tom Murray

In October last year, Baldwin and Rust Productions reached a settlement with the Hutchins’s estate.

Matthew Hutchins, her widower, will be the executive producer on the film when production restarts this month, Deadline reported at the time. It is not clear whether production has begun again yet.

“We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC. As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed,” Matt said in a statement at the time. “The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board in January 2023.”

He went on to add that he has “no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame [to the producers or Baldwin].”

“All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work,” he continued.

Read more:

Alec Baldwin reaches settlement with estate of cinematographer killed on Rust set

Who was Halyna Hutchins?

Thursday 19 January 2023 01:45 , Tom Murray

Halyna Hutchins died aged 42 on 21 October 2021 after being shot on the Rust set by a prop gun.

Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, in 1979, Halyna grew up on the Soviet base “surrounded by reindeer and nuclear submarines.”

She received a graduate degree in international journalism from the Kyiv National University and worked on British documentary productions in Europe, before graduating from the Los Angeles-based American Film Institute Conservatory in 2015.

Her portfolio includes A Luv Tale (2021), The Mad Hatter (2021) and Blindfire (2020).

She is survived by her husband Matt and their nine-year-old son Andros.

What was ‘Rust’ about?

Thursday 19 January 2023 01:15 , Tom Murray

Rust ironically tells the story of a 13-year-old boy in 1880s Kansas who accidentally shot and killed a local rancher.

It was inspired by a true story about the youngest person ever hanged in the American West, Baldwin has said.

The film with a modest budget of $6m (£4.9m) was reportedly a “passion project” for Baldwin, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Baldwin plays the boy’s grandfather – an outlaw named Harland Rust – who breaks the boy out of jail and sets off across New Mexico.

FBI forensics found that the gun 'functioned normally’

Thursday 19 January 2023 00:03 , Tom Murray

A reminder that while Baldwin denies pulling the trigger on the .45 Colt replica revolver that killed Hutchins, FBI forensic analysis found that the gun “functioned normally” and would not fire without the trigger being pulled.

What could Baldwin be charged for?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 23:32 , Tom Murray

In September last year, district attorney Carmack-Altwies announced four “possible defendants” including Baldwin and three others in the criminal probe into the case.

When contacted by the Santa Fe New Mexican at the time, she said the list of possible charges at ranged from homicide to violations of state gun statutes.

Other individuals named in police affidavits in relation to the criminal investigation are the armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director David Halls, and a local prop shop owner Seth Kenney.

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department initiated an investigation to determine how a live round was placed in the gun, why crew members had failed to notice the round, and why the gun fired.

Hilaria Baldwin recently discussed telling her children about the shooting

Wednesday 18 January 2023 23:05 , Tom Murray

In an interview with Extra last month, Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria, shared how her nine-year-old daughter, Carmen, reacted to the news of the fatal shooting.

“When I [told] them,” she continued, “Carmen started saying to me ‘Why are you telling me this? Why are you telling me this? I want to un-know this’… and Alec said, ‘I want to un-know it too.’”

“I think everyone wants to un-know it, and we can’t because it’s real,” she added.

Read more:

Hilaria Baldwin reveals daughter’s sad reaction to father Alec’s ‘Rust’ shooting

Alec Baldwin sued three crew members over Hutchins’s death last year

Wednesday 18 January 2023 22:39 , Tom Murray

In November last year, Baldwin filed a lawsuit placing the responsibility for the tragic shooting on the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first assistant director David Halls, and prop master Sarah Zachry, as well as weapons supplier Seth Kenney and his company PDQ Arm & Prop.

Baldwin alleged that Gutierrez-Reed “failed to check the bullets or the gun carefully” and that Halls announced the gun was safe for him to use without inspecting it properly.

In the filing, the 64-year-old also accused Zachry of failing to “disclose that Gutierrez-Reed had been acting recklessly offset and was a safety risk to those around her”.

Read more:

Alec Baldwin files lawsuit to ‘clear his name’ in fatal Rust shooting

What happened?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 22:12 , Inga Parkel

It’s been over a year since Hutchins died soon after being struck by a bullet on the Rust set.

A media storm followed the shooting and revealed inquests into the set conditions of the movie.

The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has put together a one-sheet breaking down exactly what we know about the shooting and the aftermath that followed.

Read it here:

What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?

After an exhaustive 11-month investigation, authorities in New Mexico appear close to filing criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, writes Bevan Hurley

Prosecutors announce decision to come

Wednesday 18 January 2023 21:05 , Tom Murray

The District Attorney in Santa Fe announced that a decision would be made as to whether criminal charges will be filed against Rust crew members, including Alec Baldwin, on Thursday (19 January).

The verdict will be given at 9 am Mountain Time (4 pm GMT).

“Regardless of the District Attorney’s decision, the announcement will be a solemn occasion,” a DA spokesperson said.

Read more:

Santa Fe district attorney to announce Rust shooting criminal charges