Prosecutors downgrade charges against Baldwin

Prosecutors have downgraded the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin, significantly reducing the possible prison time for the actor, who was holding the gun that discharged on the “Rust” movie set, killing the film’s cinematographer.

Baldwin’s lawyers argued this month 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 fatal shooting in October 2021.

If convicted under that law, called a firearm enhancement, Baldwin would have received a minimum prison sentence of five years.

Instead, he now faces a maximum of 18 months in prison.

In a statement, Heather Brewer, a spokesperson for the district attorney, said the prosecution had dropped the firearm enhancement 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,” Brewer said Monday.

The altered charges also apply to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer who was responsible for weapons and ammunition on set. She loaded the gun the day of the shooting with what were supposed to be all dummies, inert cartridges used to resemble real rounds on camera. While Baldwin was drawing his revolver to prepare for a scene, the gun discharged a live round, killing the cinematographer, Halyna

Hutchins, and wounding the director, Joel Souza.

A judge will be asked to determine whether there is cause to move forward with the charges filed against Baldwin and GutierrezReed. The first hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday.

Production that was halted by the shooting is expected to resume this spring.