Prosecutors criminally charged actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his latest film “Rust.”
Luke Nikas, Baldwin’s lawyer, said the decision to charge his client is “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,” Nikas said. “He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds.”
Before the charges were filed, New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Heather Brewer said the charges are part of an effort to secure “justice for Halyna Hutchins.”
READ MORE: Actor Alec Baldwin claims he’s ‘protected,’ not ‘culpable’ for fatally shooting filmmaker
“The District Attorney and the special prosecutor are fully focused on securing justice for Halyna Hutchins,” Brewer said in a statement, according to Fox News. “The evidence and the facts speak for themselves.”
On Sunday, Alec Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria Baldwin, spoke out about the impending charges on her podcast “Witches Anonymous.”
“It’s been an emotional time for my family. And I do so want to express to you how grateful I am for your support and your kindness and your reason,” Hilaria said. “Quite honestly, without it, we would crumble. So, thank you so much for being our rock right now because I don’t feel so strong.”
This was a breaking news story. The details were periodically updated as more information became available.
