Alec Baldwin ‘lied’ after set shooting
Prosecutors also say star could not control his emotions before tragedy
FILM star Alec Baldwin lied and altered his story after the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a film set, prosecutors have claimed.
The actor is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter after the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
If convicted, he could spend up to 18 months in jail and be fined up to $5,000 (€4,605). Ahead of his July 9 trial, prosecutors have levelled a series of allegations against Baldwin including that he could not control his emotions during the filming of the Western.
Ms Hutchins, 42, was accidentally shot on the set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021 by a gun that Baldwin was holding.
The 66-year-old has pleaded not guilty and claimed he did not pull the Colt 45’s trigger. But New Mexico prosecutors claimed the actor was inattentive during firearms training.
They also said he had been “frequently screaming and cursing” on set before the live round was fired.
Prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis wrote: “To watch Mr Baldwin’s conduct on the set of Rust is to witness a man who has absolutely no control of his own emotions.
“Witnesses have testified that it was this exact conduct that contributed to safety compromises on set.”
Prosecutors also accused Baldwin of having “lied shamelessly” and said he repeatedly “changed his story”.
In a motion to dismiss the indictment last month, Baldwin’s lawyers accused the prosecutors of misconduct. They said: “This is an abuse of the system and an abuse of an innocent person.”
The film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez-reed, 26, was found guilty last month of involuntary manslaughter. She will be sentenced next week. The maximum penalty is an 18-month jail sentence.