Alec Baldwin could be behind bars for five years if he’s convicted in the death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins â but the disgraced actor has vowed to fight the charges.
What charges is Alec Baldwin facing?
Baldwin, 64, faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter for Hutchinsâ October 2021 death on the set of the Western film.
The â30 Rockâ star, who accidentally fired the fatal shot that killed Hutchins, was charged âin the alternative,â meaning if he’s found guilty, the jury will have to choose between two charges.
How much prison time could he get?
The first charge, involuntary manslaughter, is a fourth-degree felony that carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
The second charge, involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, is also punishable with up to 18 months in prison — but prosecutors tacked on a firearm enhancement to the charge, which would mandate Baldwin spend five years behind bars.
Who else will be charged?
The movieâs rookie armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who loaded the prop gun that Baldwin shot, faces the same charges as the actor.
How have they responded?
Both accused parties have denied responsibility for the 42-year-old momâs death and slammed the charges.
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice,â Luke Nikas, the lawyer representing Baldwin, told The Post, saying he would âfight these charges, and ⦠win.”
The latest on the film set shooting of Halyna Hutchins
- Alec Baldwin hides face in first NYC outing since âRustâ shooting charge
- Sneaky Hilaria Baldwin dupes crowd outside NYC home so Alec can flee after âRustâ charges
- Alec Baldwin refuses to accept blame for the âRustâ shooting that killed Halyna Hutchins
âMr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun â 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,” he said.
Jason Bowles, the lawyer for Gutierrez-Reed, told The Post his client âdid not commit involuntary manslaughterâ and said the DAâs investigation into the shooting was âvery flawed.â
Could Baldwin beat the charges?
Los Angeles criminal law defense attorney Lou Shapiro said itâs possible Baldwin could come out on top, especially since he already settled a civil suit over the shooting with Hutchins’ family in October.
He said prosecutors donât have âan easy sellâ for Baldwin âbecause there were several other people who handled that weapon before him.â
Baldwinâs role as a producer of âRustâ could certainly work against him, though.
“If he was just merely an actor, I don’t know that he would have been charged,” Shapiro said. “I think being a producer of a set imputes a certain amount of responsibility as to what happens on the set.â
Baldwinâs mouthpiece will likely put the blame on Gutierrez-Reed and other crew members as his lawyers could claim the actor hired experts to ensure the set was safe.
âThatâs going to be his defense — that those experts had one job, and they didn’t do their job,â Shapiro said.
The post Explaining Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges, potential prison time appeared first on New York Post.
