Alec Baldwin’s lawyer has responded to the actor being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has announced the Rust star was set to be charged by the end of January this year with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film in October 2020.
According to Deadline, the District Attorney noted the end of the month as the expected period for the paperwork to be officially filed.
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. Mr Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun - or anywhere on the movie set,” Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas said of the announcement.
Nikas continued, “He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Carmack-Altwies told CNN on Thursday following the announcement, “He didn’t do any of the things he was supposed to do to make sure the people around him were safe… They didn’t exercise due caution.”
Noting the “lack of care on that set”, the DA added, “An actor doesn’t get a free pass just because they’re an actor.”
Baldwin has been set for charging as both an actor and a producer of Rust. However, Carmack-Altwies confirmed that no attempt to arrest him would be made.
Source: © Cover Media