The announcement Thursday that Alec Baldwin will be charged with manslaughter was greeted with relief by the family of Halyna Hutchins. According to news from heaventhe relatives of the deceased denounced “a conscious contempt for human life”.
On October 21, 2021, during the filming of the film Oxide At a ranch in New Mexico, Alec Baldwin fired a gun that was supposed to contain only blanks, but a very real projectile killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
A lengthy investigation followed, culminating Thursday in the announcement of the indictment of Alec Baldwin and the gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who had handled the weapon. Executive assistant David Halls, who had given him the gun informing him that it was not dangerous, pleaded guilty to negligence in using a deadly weapon.
“We support these accusations”
“We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff and District Attorney for completing a thorough investigation and determining that manslaughter charges are justified in the Halyna Hutchins murder case, with a knowing disregard for human life.”
They add that they hope the justice system “holds those who break the law accountable”: “Our independent investigation has also determined that the charges are justified. The fact that in New Mexico no one is above the law is comforting to the family.” They conclude: “We support these charges and will cooperate with the prosecutor.”
Lawyers step up
The charges will be formally filed “at the end of the month,” the prosecutor said. If convicted, Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed risk up to 18 months in prison. The actor’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, immediately reacted to the prosecution’s announcement to denounce a “terrible judicial error”:
“Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe that there was live ammunition in the gun or anywhere else at the scene of the shooting,” he said. “He trusted the professionals he was working with who had assured him there was no live ammunition in the gun. We will fight those charges and we will win.”
The same will on the part of Hannah Gutiérrez-Reed’s lawyers, even according to news from heaven: “These charges are the result of a grossly incomplete investigation and misunderstanding of the facts. We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe that Hannah will be exonerated of any wrongdoing by a jury.”
Alec Baldwin always said he was sure his gun was harmless. The 64-year-old actor, notably known for the series 30RockHe also maintained that he had not pulled the trigger, a claim disputed by experts.
Last August, he said he hoped no one would be charged and told CNN that he had hired a private detective to establish liability in the case.
The police investigation focused in particular on determining how live ammunition could be found on the set, which in theory is strictly prohibited, precisely to avoid accidents. Officers concluded that the gunsmith who fired the shots, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, planted the ammunition in the gun used by Alec Baldwin, instead of a fake bullet.
Also, news from heaven reported in November that a civil lawsuit filed by Mamie Mitchell, responsible for the smooth conduct of the shooting, was directed at Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez Reed and David Halls, the assistant director who gave the actor the gun.
Alec Baldwin was also the subject of civil lawsuits brought by the family of Halyna Hutchins. A settlement was announced in October, the amount of which was not disclosed. The shot should resume this year.
Source: BFM TV
