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Support And Outrage Surface After Alec Baldwin’s Not Guilty Plea To Manslaughter Charges
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Support And Outrage Surface After Alec Baldwin’s Not Guilty Plea To Manslaughter Charges

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Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter following the fatal accident that occurred during the shooting of the movie Rust in 2021.

A court document filed on Wednesday (January 31) showed that the 65-year-old was scheduled to appear remotely in a New Mexico, US court on Thursday (February 1) but had waived his right to an arraignment (a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant to inform them of the charges against them).

A court spokesperson told CNN that the originally scheduled hearing was vacated after the judge in the case accepted Baldwin’s waiver.

The Hollywood star is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter following the fatal accident that occurred during the shooting of the movie Rust in 2021

Image credits: MEGA/Getty Images

Image credits: Reuters

The 42-year-old Ukrainian was working as the director of photography on the set of the Western film Rust near La Cienega, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021, when she was accidentally shot.

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While preparing for a scene, Baldwin had discharged a Pietta .45 Colt revolver used as a prop, fatally wounding her and injuring director Joel Souza.

The one count against the actor has been described in court documents as “negligent use of a firearm,” and the alternative count alleged Baldwin had caused Hutchins’ death without due caution or circumspection, detailed as “an act committed with the total disregard or indifference to the safety of others,” CNN reported.

Halyna Hutchins was working on the set of the Western film near La Cienega, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021, when she was accidentally shot

Image credits: Reuters

The court document filed on Wednesday also showed that Baldwin had been released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty, which means he can be released from custody without posting bail and must adhere to certain conditions.

As part of the conditions of his release, Baldwin is forbidden from possessing any firearms or dangerous weapons, consuming alcohol or illegal substances, and he must avoid contact with anyone who may testify in the case, the document stated.

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Image credits: Reuters

Subsequently, the rules are the same as the first time Baldwin was charged in the Rust shooting case and pleaded not guilty, but he is now not allowed to leave the US without permission from the court, the document detailed. Moreover, Baldwin’s attorney had previously insisted his client was not guilty.

Involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped against Baldwin last year, with prosecutors saying in a statement at the time that they could not “proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form” due to “new facts” in the case, as per CNN.

While preparing for a scene, Baldwin had discharged a Pietta .45 Colt revolver used as a prop, fatally wounding Halyna and injuring director Joel Souza

Image credits: Reuters

The initial decision to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in April 2022 came after authorities reportedly learned the gun used in the shooting may have been modified. Nevertheless, prosecutors reportedly said the case could be re-filed at a later date.

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In previous interviews, Baldwin had denied pulling the trigger on the weapon that had killed Hutchins and injured Souza.

Image credits: Reuters

In October 2023, prosecutors said: “Additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins” and signaled a grand jury would decide on recharging the actor.

Additionally, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer employed to take care of the weapons onset of Rust, also faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the case. She has reportedly also pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in February 2024, as per CNN.

Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine if he is convicted.

“He ignored rule number one of gun safety,” a reader commented

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

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I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

Writer, BoredPanda staff

I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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Donata Leskauskaite

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Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

Author, BoredPanda staff

Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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Robin Roper
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Armorer is 100% at fault. It is the Armorer's job to make sure all weapons on a movie set are safely working and do not have live ammunition. The Actor is to act and the job of acting does not include checking any equipment. A movie set isn't "real life" so the rules of handling guns do not apply. No one would expect an Actor who is driving a car in a scene to check the brakes to make sure they are working. The Armorer did not do her job and it lead to the tragic death of a talented young cinematographer.

WindySwede
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or a knife, or a sword, or the lance in an tourney, on a movieset. et cetera. If Baldwin himself would have had loaded the gun etc, but he didn't. Non the less the death really suck.. As I understand it, the crew shot live ammo on the set in the downtime, was this true?

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MR
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a huge overreach by the prosecution. The defense will have a long line of witnesses explaining how filmmaking works. The only way they can get a conviction is if they can prove he knew the gun was loaded with a live round. And anyone suggesting that just because he pulled the trigger he's liable, sorry, not how that works. It's a film set. There's an expectation, as an actor, that if you're handed a firearm and told it's cold, that it's safe to handle. There are scenes in which you must pull the trigger while pointing the gun at someone. The expectation of the basic rules of firearms doesn't fully apply there. And everyone on set is aware of it because it's difficult to block out a scene, with cameras and lighting and everyone else so as to be sure everyone is out of line of fire. To say nothing of making a scene believable while both acting and trying to maintain safety. That's why an armorer is involved.

Manny
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer employed to take care of the weapons onset of Rust, also faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the case". That is who is to be held 100% responsible. Her job is to have a PROP gun, not a real gun with real bullets.

Load More Comments
Robin Roper
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Armorer is 100% at fault. It is the Armorer's job to make sure all weapons on a movie set are safely working and do not have live ammunition. The Actor is to act and the job of acting does not include checking any equipment. A movie set isn't "real life" so the rules of handling guns do not apply. No one would expect an Actor who is driving a car in a scene to check the brakes to make sure they are working. The Armorer did not do her job and it lead to the tragic death of a talented young cinematographer.

WindySwede
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or a knife, or a sword, or the lance in an tourney, on a movieset. et cetera. If Baldwin himself would have had loaded the gun etc, but he didn't. Non the less the death really suck.. As I understand it, the crew shot live ammo on the set in the downtime, was this true?

Load More Replies...
MR
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a huge overreach by the prosecution. The defense will have a long line of witnesses explaining how filmmaking works. The only way they can get a conviction is if they can prove he knew the gun was loaded with a live round. And anyone suggesting that just because he pulled the trigger he's liable, sorry, not how that works. It's a film set. There's an expectation, as an actor, that if you're handed a firearm and told it's cold, that it's safe to handle. There are scenes in which you must pull the trigger while pointing the gun at someone. The expectation of the basic rules of firearms doesn't fully apply there. And everyone on set is aware of it because it's difficult to block out a scene, with cameras and lighting and everyone else so as to be sure everyone is out of line of fire. To say nothing of making a scene believable while both acting and trying to maintain safety. That's why an armorer is involved.

Manny
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer employed to take care of the weapons onset of Rust, also faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the case". That is who is to be held 100% responsible. Her job is to have a PROP gun, not a real gun with real bullets.

Load More Comments
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