New Mexico DA Could Charge Alec Baldwin, 3 Others For ‘Rust’ Set Shooting Of Halyna Hutchins

Actor Alec Baldwin may face criminal charges along with three other people as a New Mexico District Attorney could possibly file criminal lawsuits for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of “Rust.” Santa Fe DA Mary Carmack-Altwies said that as many as four people could face criminal charges in connection to the shooting accident last year that killed Hutchins and injured its director Joel Souza. The DA said that her office may consider filing charges of homicide and gun violations.

According to Yahoo! News, Carmack-Altwies wrote in a letter saying that one of the possible defendants is Baldwin, however, she did not reveal the identity of the other three defendants. She added that if charges were warranted, the 1st Judicial District Attorney will be prosecuting four individuals, remarking that her expenses for the case will begin and will be rather costly.

Carmack-Altwies apparently requested funding amounting to $635,500 for what could potentially be four separate jury trials. The funding will also be used to hire a special investigator, a media spokesperson, as well as experts. The state reportedly handed $317,000 for the appointment of a special prosecutor to oversee the case’s development at which Andrea Reeb was shortly appointed by the DA.

Baldwin’s phone, considered one of the outstanding pieces of evidence in the case, was confiscated and handed over to the prosecutors. His attorney Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel warned over the assumption of his client being charged. The Hollywood actor has denied any culpability in the shooting accident.

On the set of “Rust,” live ammunition was found, which is a clear violation of safety protocols. Baldwin has consistently denied having pulled the trigger on the prop gun that killed Hutchins.

Last month a piece of key evidence was delivered to the police with FBI reports stating that the prop gun that Baldwin fired functioned normally when tested in the laboratory. The report also noted that the model of the firearm, a Pietta Colt .45, needs the trigger to be pulled to be fired, casting doubts on Baldwin’s claim last year that he did not pull the trigger. The New Mexico state agency levied its maximum fine on the producers of "Rust" for violations of safety practices, remarking that they demonstrated “plain indifference” to the safety of their employees.