Baldwin will face less time in prison
Prosecutors in the case of the fatal shooting on the set of the movie Rust have downgraded the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin, reducing the possible prison time for the actor and producer.
Baldwin was filming a scene and holding the gun that discharged on the New Mexico movie set, killing the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding the director.
The star’s lawyers argued that the Santa Fe County district attorney had incorrectly charged the actor under a version of a New Mexico firearm law that was passed months after the shooting occurred.
If convicted under that new firearm enhancement law, Baldwin would have received a minimum prison sentence of five years. Now, he faces a maximum of 18 months in prison.
Baldwin has denied responsibility for the shooting, saying he was handed a gun that he was told was “cold” – meaning it did not contain live rounds.
According to a statement, the prosecution said it had dropped the firearm enhancement law to “avoid further litigious distractions by Mr Baldwin and his attorneys”.
“The prosecution’s priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys,” Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said.
According to a report in The New York Times, the altered charges also apply to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer who was responsible for maintaining weapons and ammunition on the set of Rust.
Gutierrez-Reed loaded the gun on the day of the shooting with what were supposed to be blanks, not live rounds.
But while Baldwin was drawing his revolver to prepare for his action in a scene, the gun discharged a live round, killing Hutchins, and injuring director Joel Souza who was beside her.
Lawyers for Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed said by charging their clients under the firearm enhancement law, they were being prosecuted under a law that didn’t pass until 2022.