Washington (EFE)
Baldwin and “Rust” gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were indicted Jan. 31 on two counts of manslaughter for the tragedy that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of that film and they could face a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail.
The Prosecutor’s Office, according to The News York Times, has eliminated the aggravating circumstance of the crime that had also been charged to them, initially based on a law that came into effect in May 2022 and that carried a punishment of five additional years.
A spokeswoman for the Public Ministry, Heather Brewer, pointed out that the decision has been made to guarantee that “justice is done” and avoid lengthening the process.
Hutchins died in October 2021 when a revolver Baldwin was handling went off on the set of “Rust” in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, after Gutiérrez-Reed allegedly checked the revolver and the actor received it. as a “cold weapon” without live ammunition.
The appeal filed by Baldwin
Baldwin’s legal representatives had explained in their February 10 appeal that at the time of the event the version of the law that was in force only allowed “a three-year increase” for the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. Serious felony.
The defense added that this version was not applicable either because it required “the intent to intimidate or injure a person.”
A lawyer for Gutiérrez-Reed, Jason Bowles, told The New York Times that the prosecution’s decision now “reflected good ethical standards and was correct as to the facts and the law,” while a Baldwin lawyer, Luke Nikas He refused to comment on the matter.
The actor has defended his innocence in different interviews with the media, alleging that the responsibility for ensuring the safety of the weapons in “Rust” was assigned to Gutiérrez-Reed and that he never pulled the trigger, but instead the weapon detonated because had some flaw.
On February 14, it was announced that filming for “Rust” is scheduled to resume in the spring. Baldwin will continue to play the lead role in the film and the scene in which Hutchins lost his life will be rewritten, but the production company has not released any further details.
