Prosecutors say Alec Baldwin was distracted during gun safety training on 'Rust' movie set

Santa Fe prosecutors connected Tuesday filed charges of two counts of involuntary manslaughter against Alec Baldwin for the fatal shooting connected acceptable of the "Rust" movie.

They alleged that the histrion had not been decently trained to grip the limb that yet killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer of the film, was besides charged with the aforesaid 2 counts of involuntary manslaughter. David Halls, the adjunct manager of "Rust" who was besides progressive successful handling the weapon that killed Hutchins, signed a plea deal, suspending his condemnation and granting him six months of probation.

"Today we person taken different important measurement successful securing justness for Halyna Hutchins," New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said. "In New Mexico, nary 1 is supra the instrumentality and justness volition beryllium served."

Baldwin had been "distracted and consistently talking connected his compartment telephone to his family," during what had intended to beryllium a much than one-hour weapon grooming session, according to a connection of probable origin that was filed successful conjunction with the charges.

Baldwin's attorneys did not instantly supply a comment.

"Reed knew Baldwin required much training," which "could person prevented the fatal shooting," prosecutors said, citing a connection Gutierrez-Reed issued successful her deposition.

Lawyers for Gutierrez-Reed pushed backmost connected the probable origin statement, saying the territory lawyer "completely misunderstood the facts" and "reached the incorrect conclusions." They besides said she was "denied and brushed aside" erstwhile she pleaded to supply much grooming with firearms.

"She was told by accumulation to absorption connected props. Hannah asked Halls if they could america a integrative weapon for the rehearsal country and helium said no, wanting a 'real gun.' Hannah asked to beryllium called backmost into the religion if Baldwin was going to usage the weapon astatine each and Halls failed to bash that," attorneys Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion said successful a statement.

"Yet the territory lawyer has fixed Halls a 6 period probation misdemeanor and charged Hannah and Baldwin with felony offenses carrying astatine slightest 5 years successful prison. The calamity of this is had Hannah conscionable been called backmost into the religion by Halls, she would person performed the inspection and prevented this tragedy," they added.

Authorities announced earlier this period they would record transgression charges successful the case.

The documents filed successful relation with the charges authorities that Baldwin had not been decently trained for handling the limb that killed Hutchins and injured Joel Souza, the film's director.

Evidence from the Santa Fe District Attorney's Office besides claims that Gutierrez-Reed was unqualified for the relation of armorer for the film, having "possessed nary certification oregon certifiable training, oregon national 'card' for this practice, and that she admitted she was the armorer for lone 1 movie anterior to this production."

Baldwin, the prima of the film, and Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer successful complaint of handling the movie weapons, some look 2 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Both are felonies that transportation $5,000 fines, but 1 includes an 18-month condemnation portion the different has a 5-year sentence.

The 2 person been charged nether a modular called "charged nether the alternative," meaning that a assemblage volition determine which of the 2 manslaughter counts applies.