- Alec Baldwin Involuntary Manslaughter Charges Officially Dropped In Fatal ‘Rust’ Shooting Deadline
- Potential modifications to the firing mechanism of the gun prompted dismissal of charges against Baldwin, source tells CNN CNN
- Charges against Alec Baldwin have been dropped. KTSM 9 NEWS
- Alec Baldwin thanks wife Hilaria as criminal charges dropped in ‘Rust’ case: ‘I owe everything I have to this woman’ Yahoo Entertainment
- Alec Baldwin’s attorney says ‘Rust’ shooting prosecutors to dismiss manslaughter charges CNN
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: involuntary
Alec Baldwin charged – latest: Actor to continue filming Rust after involuntary manslaughter charges
‘There’s nothing we can do to bring his mother back’: Alec Baldwin on Rust movie shooting
Alec Baldwin will continue to film Rust as he faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Melina Spadone, an attorney for the production of the western, confirmed the news on Friday to CNN, adding that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition.”
Mr Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced on Thursday. Armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
A person with knowledge of the film had previously told The New York Times that Baldwin would still serve as the film’s lead and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, will return as director.
Thursday’s decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal October 2021 shooting, when a gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
Mickey Rourke says there’s ‘no way in hell’ Alec Baldwin should be charged over Halyna Hutchins’ death
Mickey Rourke has spoken out in defence of Alec Baldwin, saying there is “no way in hell” he should face charges over the death of Halyna Hutchins.
Responding to the news on Instagram, Rourke wrote: “I usually never put my two cents in about what happens on someone’s movie set. It’s a terrible tragedy what happened to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. But no way in hell actor Alec Baldwin should be charged with any negligence whatsoever.”
Louis Chilton has the story for The Independent:
Peony Hirwani23 January 2023 07:38
Alec Baldwin shares photo of wife and son in first post since pending criminal charges
Alec Baldwin has shared a photograph of his wife Hilaria and six-year-old son Leo in the first post since he was charged with involuntary manslaughter surrounding Halyna Hutchins’s death.
“The old “let me give you a back rub” ploy. Potato chips to follow.“ the Rust actor captioned the photo.
Peony Hirwani23 January 2023 07:08
Alec Baldwin will finish filming Rust as lead star despite involuntary manslaughter charges
Alec Baldwin will finish filming Rust as lead star despite involuntary manslaughter charges
Rust production’s attorney Melina Spadone told CNN on Friday that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition,” just a day after New Mexico prosecutors announced charges against three of the movie’s original crew.
The Independent has the story:
Peony Hirwani23 January 2023 06:38
Halyna Hutchins’ family react to manslaughter charges
ICYMI: Halyna Hutchins’ family react to manslaughter charges
On Thursday (19 January), the family of Halyna Hutchins released a statement in response to the news that Alec Baldwin, among others would be charged with involuntary manslaughter for her death.
Hutchins, 42, was shot by Mr Baldwin, who was starring in and producing the movie, during a rehearsal inside a church on the set on 21 October 2021.
In a message delivered through lawyer Brian Panish, the family thanked the Santa Fe sheriff and the District Attorney “for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life”.
They later went on to state that the announcement is a “comfort for the family”.
The Independent’s Graeme Massie has the full story:
Peony Hirwani23 January 2023 06:18
ICYMI: Piers Morgan accuses Alec Baldwin of ‘Hollywood arrogance’ amid Rust shooting charges
Broadcaster and columnist Piers Morgan weighed in on the Rust shooting on Thursday, after the news that Alec Baldwin would face involuntary manslaughter charges broke.
On his talk show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, Morgan appeared to welcome the charges against the actor.
“There was no doubt that it was an accident but Halyna Hutchins died, leaving behind a grief-stricken husband and a young child and the person holding the gun that fired a bullet and killed her was Alec Baldwin,” said Morgan.
“It was him who did that, who fired a bullet into his co-worker’s body and snuffed out her life. Nobody else’s hands were anywhere near the gun.”
The full story, by Annabel Nugent, is below:
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 22:40
Who else was injured in the incident on set?
Director Joel Souza was also impacted by the gun discharged by Alec Baldwin on the Rust set.
He was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound in October 2021 and was discharged soon after.
According to a source with knowledge of the film speaking to The New York Times, Souza will return to the film as director, while Baldwin will also resume his lead role.
Joel Souza and Alec Baldwin
(Shutterstock / Getty Images for National Geographic)
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 21:40
Who is being charged following the death of Halyna Hutchins on the ‘Rust’ set?
Three people face involuntary manslaughter charges following the death of director of photography Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, Rust.
It was announced on Thursday that Alec Baldwin would face two counts of involuntary manslaughter after discharging the gun that shot Hutchins, while he practised a gun-drawing technique.
The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, also faces the same charges.
David Halls, the first assistant director for Rust, has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Each charge carries a punishment of up to 18 months in prison.
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 20:40
ICYMI: Mickey Rourke says there’s ‘no way in hell’ Alec Baldwin should be charged over Rust shooting death
Mickey Rourke reacted to the charging of his fellow Hollywood colleague Alec Baldwin soon after the news broke on Thursday.
Baldwin and two other Rust crew members have been charged after the death of the film’s director of photography, Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
Rourke spoke out against the involuntary manslaughter charges, claiming “no way in hell actor Alec Baldwin should be charged with any negligence whatsoever”.
The full story, from The Independent’s Louis Chilton, is below:
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 19:40
What were Halyna Hutchins’ last words?
The last words spoken by Halyna Hutchins in the moments after she was shot have been revealed.
Ms Hutchins, director of photography for the Western film Rust, died on 21 October 2021 after being shot by a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin, who’d believed it was filled with dummy rounds instead of gunpowder and a projectile.
Seconds after she was struck, Ms Hutchins cried out to a boom operator: “That was no good. That was no good at all,” according to a Los Angeles Times report based on interviews with 14 crew members.
Find out more in the story below:
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 18:40
What legal experts say about Alec Baldwin’s ‘bold’ charging decision
A decision by New Mexico authorities to bring involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin for the fatal Rust shooting of Halyna Hutchins has been called “bold” and “aggressive” by legal experts.
While Baldwin faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the movie’s armourer, is also expected to be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting.
The charges against Baldwin carry up to a maximum 18-month prison sentence.
Nicole Vassell22 January 2023 17:40
Alec Baldwin news – live: Actor to continue filming Rust after involuntary manslaughter charges
‘There’s nothing we can do to bring his mother back’: Alec Baldwin on Rust movie shooting
Alec Baldwin will continue to film Rust as he faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Melina Spadone, an attorney for the production of the western, confirmed the news on Friday to CNN, adding that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition.”
Mr Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced on Thursday. Armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
A person with knowledge of the film had previously told The New York Times that Baldwin would still serve as the film’s lead and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, will return as director.
Thursday’s decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal October 2021 shooting, when a gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
ICYMI: Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the shooting
In 2021, a gun being used as a prop by actor Alec Baldwin went off on the set of Rust, killing the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding its director Joel Souza.
Ever since then, the authorities have been investigating to determine how a live round got into the gun that the 64-year-old actor was using, why crew members who inspected it on the set failed to notice it, and why the gun got fired.
The actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting.
In light of recent news that he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case, this is everything Alec Baldwin has said about the incident:
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 11:40
Who is Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer charged in the Rust on-set shooting?
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is the armourer who is also facing charges of involuntary manslaughter over the October 2021 fatal Rust shooting.
As the head armourer on the film set, Gutierrez-Reed’s job was to “set up” the guns. She was the crew member who placed the firearm on the cart that discharged after Baldwin picked it up, firing the bullet that fatally shot Halyna Hutchins.
The 24-year-old is the daughter of Hollywood armourer Thell Reed. Reed is well-known in the industry for having taught Brad Pitt and Val Kilmer “realistic gun handling”. He also worked on Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 movie Django Unchained as the quick draw expert.
Reed reportedly trained Guiterrez-Reed, who revealed on a recent episode of the Voices of the West podcast, that Rust was only her second film set acting as lead armourer. She recently wrapped on her first movie set –The Old Way (2023) starring Nicolas Cage.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was the armourer on the set of Rust
(Facebook / Voices of the West)
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 10:40
Prosecutors seek justice in Alec Baldwin case, regardless of fame
Prosecutors have vowed to file those charges before February against the 64-year-old actor and weapons specialist Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in October 2021.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies says the case is about equal justice under the law and accountability in the death of Halyna Hutchins, regardless of the fame or fortune of those involved.
She says the Ukrainian-born cinematographer’s death while rehearsing a scene was tragic — and preventable.
Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed maintain their innocence and have vowed to fight the charges, which were announced Thursday.
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 09:40
‘No one is above the law’: The Santa Fe DA’s reasons for charging Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.
New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said on Thursday that Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also face two charges of involuntary manslaughter.
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 08:40
Alec Baldwin shot a woman on set. He’s now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. What changed?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on-set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case
What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 07:40
Alec Baldwin shot a woman on set. He’s now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. What changed?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case:
What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 06:40
Who is charged in Rust shooting death of Halyna Hutchins?
After an exhaustive inquiry lasting more than 15 months, Alec Baldwin and two others have been charged over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust,
Mary Carmack-Altwies, the district attorney for New Mexico’s first judicial district, announced the charges on Thursday.
Baldwin and the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will each be charged with involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
The charges will be filed by the end of the month, Ms Carmack-Altwies said in a statement.
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 05:40
VOICES: What the charges against Alec Baldwin mean – and what’s next
On Thursday (19 January), authorities in New Mexico announced they would charge Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter. This follows the death of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer who was working on the set of the Western Rust when a gun Baldwin was holding went off, fatally injuring Hutchins.
“The question here, as posed by the authorities, is about liability, not intent,” Clemence Michallon writes for The Independent.
“Involuntary manslaughter is generally defined in New Mexico statutes as either “manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony,” or “in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.”
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 04:40
Mickey Rourke says there’s ‘no way in hell’ Alec Baldwin should be charged over Halyna Hutchins’ death
Mickey Rourke has spoken out in defence of Alec Baldwin, saying there is “no way in hell” he should face charges over the death of Halyna Hutchins.
Responding to the news on Instagram, Rourke wrote: “I usually never put my two cents in about what happens on someone’s movie set. It’s a terrible tragedy what happened to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. But no way in hell actor Alec Baldwin should be charged with any negligence whatsoever.”
Louis Chilton has the story for The Independent:
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 03:40
Halyna Hutchins’ life and career
As the news breaks that Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, family and friends of the late cinematographer will be remembering her life and career.
Baldwin was starring in a western film called Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico, when a prop firearm he was holding discharged, killing Halyna Hutchins, the director of photography, and injuring the director Joul Souza, police said. Hutchins was 42 years old.
The Independent’s Ellie Muir explains the late cinematographer’s projects:
Andrea Blanco22 January 2023 02:40
Alec Baldwin news – live: Actor to continue filming Rust after involuntary manslaughter charges
‘There’s nothing we can do to bring his mother back’: Alec Baldwin on Rust movie shooting
Alec Baldwin will continue to film Rust as he faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Melina Spadone, an attorney for the production of the western, confirmed the news on Friday to CNN, adding that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition.”
Mr Baldwin is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced on Thursday. Armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
A person with knowledge of the film had previously told The New York Times that Baldwin would still serve as the film’s lead and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, will return as director.
Thursday’s decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal October 2021 shooting, when a gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
ICYMI: Halyna Hutchins’s husband says shooting charges for Alec Baldwin are ‘comfort’
The husband of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has welcomed the involuntary manslaughter charges being brought against Alec Baldwin and called it “a comfort to the family.”
New Mexico authorities have announced that Mr Baldwin and other members of the crew of the western movie Rust will be prosecuted over Hutchins’s death on the set in October 2021.
“We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff and the District Attorney for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life,” Hutchins’s family said through lawyer Brian Panish.
The Independent’s Graeme Massie has the story:
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 19:40
VOICES: Alec Baldwin has been charged for the shooting of Halyna Hutchins — and Don Jr has something to say
“In the immediate aftermath of Halyna Hutchins’ death, back in 2021, Don Jr could be found selling T-shirts on his website attempting to satirize the accident (I say “attempting to” because it wasn’t funny, and it also wasn’t technically satire),” The Independent’s Holly Baxter writes.
Now that Alec Baldwin has been charged with the shooting, Don Jr also has something to say.
“When the latest school shooting hits the news, however, most [extreme pro-gun Republicans] at least have the decency to offer redundant “thoughts and prayers”. That Halyna Hutchins wasn’t even worth that to Donald Jr says everything we need to know about the hardhearted apathy that lies underneath.”
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 19:10
What legal experts say about Alec Baldwin charging decision over Rust shooting
The district attorney says that the charges in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins will be formally filed before the end of January and the charges against Alec Baldwin carry up to a maximum 18-month prison sentence.
Former prosecutors and attorneys have been reacting to the decision to criminally charge the Hollywood star over the October 2021 set shooting.
“Prosecutors have taken a bold step by charging Baldwin,” former Los Angeles County prosecutor Joshua Ritter, who is a partner with El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, told The Independent.
Graeme Massie has the story:
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 18:40
Rust to continue production with Alec Baldwin as lead star
The embattled western film Rust will be completed, the production has announced amid pending charges against three of its original crew.
Melina Spadone, an attorney for the production of the western, confirmed the news on Friday to CNN, adding that “on-set safety supervisors and union crew members … will bar any use of working weapons or any ammunition.”
Rust’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has already agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 18:30
Donald Trump Jr under fire for ‘hateful’ reaction to Alec Baldwin Rust charges
Alec Baldwin is set to be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.
New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said on Thursday that Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also face two charges of involuntary manslaughter.
“Maybe Alec Baldwin will be lucky enough to share a cell with Michael Avenatti,” Mr Trump Jr tweeted on Thursday in response to the announcement.
Mr Avenatti, a disgraced lawyer, was sentenced to 14 years in prison last month and ordered to pay $11m in restitution after he was found to have embezzled millions from four clients, CNN reported.
The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander reports on the criticism sparked by Mr Trump’s tweet.
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 18:10
VOICES: The controversy over Alec Baldwin and Rust dangerously misses the point about gun safety
“It is entirely understandable for the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins to welcome the charges brought against Alec Baldwin,” Andrew Buncombe writes for The Independent.
But America’s real Wild West is not film sets of westerns. It is our schools, streets, shops, and places of worship.
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 17:40
Alec Baldwin is now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. What changed?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, investigators announced criminal charges over the on-set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
According to affidavits from law enforcement, the 64-year-old actor was discussing a gunfight sequence with crew members when he unholstered the weapon and raised it in the direction of a camera, where director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were standing.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case:
What changed in the Alec Baldwin shooting case?
Nearly 15 months after the fatal shooting, investigators announced criminal charges over the on set fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Bevan Hurley explains the complicated case
Andrea Blanco21 January 2023 17:10
Father of slain camerawoman hopes Alec Baldwin charges brings change
The father of Sarah Jones, a camera operator who died on the set of the 2014 film Midnight Rider, has said that he hopes the charges against Baldwin will bring about change.
You can read his conversation with The Independent’s Bevan Hurley below…
Isobel Lewis21 January 2023 15:30
Halyna Hutchins: The cinematographer’s life and career
Following the news that Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the death of Halyna Hutchins, The Independent’s Ellie Muir has looked back at the cinematographer’s life and career.
Isobel Lewis21 January 2023 14:34
Halyna Hutchins’s husband previously said he felt ‘anger’ towards Alec Baldwin
In February 2022, Halyna Hutchins’s husband said he felt “angry” seeing the actor speak about his wife’s death “so publicly”.
“I was angry to see him talk about her death so publicly in such a detailed way, and then to not accept responsibility after having just described killing her,” said Matt Hutchins on the Today show last year.
“The idea that the person holding the gun causing it to discharge is not rep is absurd to me.”
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 13:00
Alec Baldwin news – live: Hollywood backs actor in wake of Rust shooting involuntary manslaughter charges
‘There’s nothing we can do to bring his mother back’: Alec Baldwin on Rust movie shooting
As Alec Baldwin faces charges of involuntary manslaughter over the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Rust set, SAG-AFTRA and fellow actor Mickey Rourke have defended him.
The actor is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced on Thursday.
The first assistant director on Rust, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Meanwhile, the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Even amid the recent developments, continued production on Rust remains, a person with knowledge of the project told The New York Times.
Baldwin will still serve as the film’s lead and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, will return as director.
Thursday’s decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal October 2021 shooting, when a gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
Donald Trump Jr criticised for ‘hateful’ reaction to Alec Baldwin’s Rust charges
Donald Trump Jr was among the first public figures to respond to the news.
The former US president’s son has been criticised for his “hateful” reaction to Baldwin’s Rust charges.
“Maybe Alec Baldwin will be lucky enough to share a cell with Michael Avenatti,” Mr Trump Jr tweeted on Thursday (19 January) in response to the announcement.
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Donald Trump Jr has come under fire for his “hateful” reaction to Alec Baldwin’s Rust charges.
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 05:00
Alec Baldwin: A history of the actor’s career and life
Alec Baldwin has had a career in TV and film for more than three decades. He is best known for his roles in 30 Rock, and has had roles in Beetlejuice, Glengarry Glen Ross and The Departed. He has also received acclaim for his impression of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.
Here, The Independent’s Ellie Harrison takes a look at his career highlights and lowlights.
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 04:27
Baldwin breaks silence after charges
Hours after Baldwin faced criminal charges over the October 2021 fatal shooting, the actor jumped on Twitter to share a news article about David Crosby’s death. He followed up with a link to a podcast interview he did with Crosby in 2018.
Alec Baldwin (left) and David Crosby
(Getty Images)
Baldwin interviewed Crosby in 2018
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 04:00
ICYMI: Alec Baldwin will ‘fight’ manslaughter charges as lawyer blasts ‘miscarriage of justice’
Prosecutors announced Thursday that Baldwin will face two counts of involuntary manslaughter over Hutchins’s death on the movie set of Rust.
In a statement to The Independent, attorney Luke Nikas said: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.
Read the full story by Bevan Hurley here:
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 03:32
Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the shooting
In light of Thursday’s criminal charges, this is everything Alec Baldwin has said about the incident.
The actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
Alec Baldwin in ‘Rust’
(PA Media)
In 2021, a gun being used as a prop by actor Alec Baldwin went off on the set of ‘Rust,’ killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 03:00
Piers Morgan accuses Alec Baldwin of ‘Hollywood arrogance’ amid Rust shooting charges
Piers Morgan has commented on the news that Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins.
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 02:35
Baldwin vows to ‘fight these charges’
In response to the charges facing Baldwin, the actor’s lawyers released a statement.
(Mike Coppola/Getty Images for 2022 Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala)
‘We will fight these charges, and we will win’, Baldwin’s lawyer Luke Nikas says over Rust shooting
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 02:00
‘A really fast and loose set’
In an interview with CNN, New Mexico first judicial district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies explained how she had come to charge Alec Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter.
She explained that just because a fatal shooting was accidental, as was the case in Halyna Hutchins’ death, didn’t mean that no one could be held criminally liable.
“There was such a lack of safety and safety standards on that set… There were live rounds on set,” she told CNN.
“Nobody was checking those or at least they weren’t checking them consistently. And then they somehow got loaded into a gun handed off to Alec Baldwin. He didn’t check it.
“He didn’t do any of the things that he was supposed to do to make sure that he was safe or that anyone around him was safe. And then he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins and he pulled the trigger.”
Ms Carmack-Altwies described the production as “a really fast and loose set”.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies speaks during a news conference in October 2021.
(AP)
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 01:34
Why is Baldwin facing charges of involuntary manslaughter?
“No ono is above the law,” New Mexico’s DA said.
Read the DA’s full statement, explaining the reasons for the charges below…
Alec Baldwin Set Shooting
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
‘The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the ‘Rust’ film set,’ special prosecutor says
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 01:00
Mickey Rourke defends Baldwin over new charges
Fellow actor Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), has spoken out in support of Baldwin over the recent charges facing the Beetlejuice star.
Rourke wrote that there was “no way in hell” Baldwin should be “charged with any negligence whatsoever”.
Mickey Rourke and Alec Baldwin
(Getty)
‘To lay a blame on him is terribly, terribly wrong,’ actor said
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 00:00
Alec Baldwin news – live: Hollywood backs actor in wake of Rust shooting involuntary manslaughter charges
‘There’s nothing we can do to bring his mother back’: Alec Baldwin on Rust movie shooting
As Alec Baldwin faces charges of involuntary manslaughter over the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Rust set, SAG-AFTRA and fellow actor Mickey Rourke have defended him.
The actor is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting, New Mexico prosecutors announced on Thursday.
The first assistant director on Rust, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Meanwhile, the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Even amid the recent developments, continued production on Rust remains, a person with knowledge of the project told The New York Times.
Baldwin will still serve as the film’s lead and Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, will return as director.
Thursday’s decision comes more than 15 months after the fatal October 2021 shooting, when a gun held by Baldwin discharged on set. A single bullet struck Souza in the shoulder before fatally striking Hutchins in the chest.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
ICYMI: Alec Baldwin will ‘fight’ manslaughter charges as lawyer blasts ‘miscarriage of justice’
Prosecutors announced Thursday that Baldwin will face two counts of involuntary manslaughter over Hutchins’s death on the movie set of Rust.
In a statement to The Independent, attorney Luke Nikas said: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.
Read the full story by Bevan Hurley here:
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 03:32
Everything Alec Baldwin has said about the shooting
In light of Thursday’s criminal charges, this is everything Alec Baldwin has said about the incident.
The actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the shooting and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”.
Alec Baldwin in ‘Rust’
(PA Media)
In 2021, a gun being used as a prop by actor Alec Baldwin went off on the set of ‘Rust,’ killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 03:00
Piers Morgan accuses Alec Baldwin of ‘Hollywood arrogance’ amid Rust shooting charges
Piers Morgan has commented on the news that Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins.
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 02:35
Baldwin vows to ‘fight these charges’
In response to the charges facing Baldwin, the actor’s lawyers released a statement.
(Mike Coppola/Getty Images for 2022 Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala)
‘We will fight these charges, and we will win’, Baldwin’s lawyer Luke Nikas says over Rust shooting
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 02:00
‘A really fast and loose set’
In an interview with CNN, New Mexico first judicial district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies explained how she had come to charge Alec Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter.
She explained that just because a fatal shooting was accidental, as was the case in Halyna Hutchins’ death, didn’t mean that no one could be held criminally liable.
“There was such a lack of safety and safety standards on that set… There were live rounds on set,” she told CNN.
“Nobody was checking those or at least they weren’t checking them consistently. And then they somehow got loaded into a gun handed off to Alec Baldwin. He didn’t check it.
“He didn’t do any of the things that he was supposed to do to make sure that he was safe or that anyone around him was safe. And then he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins and he pulled the trigger.”
Ms Carmack-Altwies described the production as “a really fast and loose set”.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies speaks during a news conference in October 2021.
(AP)
Graeme Massie21 January 2023 01:34
Why is Baldwin facing charges of involuntary manslaughter?
“No ono is above the law,” New Mexico’s DA said.
Read the DA’s full statement, explaining the reasons for the charges below…
Alec Baldwin Set Shooting
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
‘The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the ‘Rust’ film set,’ special prosecutor says
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 01:00
Mickey Rourke defends Baldwin over new charges
Fellow actor Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), has spoken out in support of Baldwin over the recent charges facing the Beetlejuice star.
Rourke wrote that there was “no way in hell” Baldwin should be “charged with any negligence whatsoever”.
Mickey Rourke and Alec Baldwin
(Getty)
‘To lay a blame on him is terribly, terribly wrong,’ actor said
Inga Parkel21 January 2023 00:00
The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe looks at how the conversations surrounding Baldwin’s Rust shooting, are distracting us from something far more dangerous.
(Getty)
America’s real Wild West is not film sets of westerns, it is our schools, streets, shops, and places of worship
Inga Parkel20 January 2023 23:00
What is Baldwin’s net worth?
At the moment, Baldwin’s net worth is estimated to be around $70m (£57m). This sum is an accumulated amount from his entire earnings throughout his career.
The 64-year-old actor has appeared in numerous films and TV shows over a five-decade period. In that time, he’s also published two books and currently hosts the podcast Here’s the Thing, which he started in 2011.
Inga Parkel20 January 2023 22:00
How many children does Baldwin have?
Baldwin has eight children in total. He shares his eldest daughter Ireland, 27, with his first wife, actor Kim Basinger, whom he divorced after nine years of marriage in 2002.
The 64-year-old actor and his wife Hilaria, 39, of 10 years, share seven children: Carmen, nine, Rafael, seven, Leonardo, six, Romeo, four, Eduardo, two, Lucia, two, and Ilaria, three months.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin and their six children
(Getty Images)
Inga Parkel20 January 2023 21:00
Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Shooting – Rolling Stone
Alec Baldwin was charged Thursday with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust last year.
Following a lengthy investigation, the New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced charges stemming from the Oct. 2021 shooting on Thursday. In addition to Baldwin, the film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will also face involuntary manslaughter charges, while first assistant director David Halls was hit with a negligent use of a deadly weapon charge; Halls has already agreed to plead guilty to that count.
“After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew,” New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a statement. “On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”
“If any one of these three people—Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls—had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It’s that simple,” Andrea Reeb, the special prosecutor appointed by the DA to the case, added. “The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.”
According to the District Attorney’s Office, both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will be “‘charged in the alternative’ with the two counts of manslaughter, meaning that a jury would decide not simply if they were guilty, but under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty.” If found guilty of just involuntary manslaughter, a fourth-degree felony, both would face up to 18 months in prison. However, if found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, which includes a “firearm enhancement” on the charge, the punishment is a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
The charges will formally be filed later this month, at which point each defendant will receive a summons to appear at the first hearing; the District Attorney’s Office noted that the defendants could appear virtually at the hearing.
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded during a rehearsal on the set of Rust on Oct. 21, 2021. The incident occurred when Baldwin inadvertently discharged a prop gun that had been loaded with a live round. There have been numerous investigations into the incident by various government agencies, from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office to the FBI.
The New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney’s Office had also been conducting its own investigations, with recent actions suggesting it was gearing up to file charges. Back on Sept. 23, The New Mexican reported that the state Board of Finance had awarded the DA’s office over $317,000 (out of a requested $635,000) to prosecute people connected to the shooting. While District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies declined to say who would face criminal charges at the time, the original funding request noted Baldwin as one of “the possible defendants.”
Though these are the first criminal charges to be brought in connection to Hutchins’ death, the shooting has prompted several civil lawsuits (as well as some fines). Most notably, Hutchins’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, Rust producer Ryan Donnell Smith, rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, assistant director Dave Halls, prop master Sarah Zachary, and “armorer mentor” Seth Kenney.
The Hutchins family lawsuit read in part, “Halyna Hutchins deserved to live and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.” (Baldwin has denied responsibility for Hutchins’ death and demanded the wrongful death suit be taken to arbitration in a filing this past March.)
Alec Baldwin faces involuntary manslaughter charge over fatal “Rust” shooting
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is being charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deadly 2021 shooting on the set of the Western film “Rust,” prosecutors in New Mexico announced Thursday. The armorer who oversaw firearms on the set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin was holding a gun during a rehearsal when it discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
“After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew,” District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a statement released Thursday morning. “On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice.”
Hutchins was wounded by a gunshot during setup for a scene at the ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are each being charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to a year and a half in jail and a $5,000 fine. The charges also include a provision that could result in a mandatory five years in prison because the offense was committed with a gun.
Both counts stem from the shooting of Hutchins, Carmack-Altwies said. Involuntary manslaughter can involve a killing that happens while a defendant is doing something that is lawful but dangerous and is acting negligently or without caution. No charges are being filed in the shooting of Souza.
CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said it’s important to understand Hutchins’ death wasn’t intentional.
“We’re talking about a potentially lawful act that you engage in but you were criminally negligent,” Levinson said. “So, for instance, if you go shooting with friends and you are not holding a gun properly and you’re not taking due care and you should have known that something dangerous could have happened and you accidentally kill a friend, you can be charged with this, involuntary manslaughter.”
Carmack-Altwies said charges will be filed by the end of January, and that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will be issued a summons to appear in court. She said prosecutors will forgo a grand jury and rely on a judge to determine if there is probable cause to move toward trial.
Levinson said that hearing will be a “very important” part of a lengthy process. She also noted it was possible the judge could toss one of the charges.
“Facing these charges is serious,” Levinson said. “It will be more serious … if we pass that initial threshold where a judge says, yes, either one or both of these involuntary manslaughter charges go forward.”
Carmack-Altwies said courts typically schedule such hearings within 60 days of charges being filed.
Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas called the charges “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. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys said she didn’t commit involuntary manslaughter and called the shooting a “tragic accident.”
“These charges are the result of a very flawed investigation, and an inaccurate understanding of the full facts,” Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion said in a statement. “We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury.”
In addition to the charges, Carmack-Altwies announced a plea agreement with assistant director David Halls for a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. Under the agreement, Halls will serve a suspended sentence and six months of probation.
“If any one of these three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls — had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today,” Andrea Reeb, the special prosecutor appointed to the case, said in a statement. “It’s that simple.”
Levinson noted it was possible the case may not go to a jury. “At every step along the way … if there is a plea deal on the table, Alec Baldwin can consider a plea deal,” she said.
A representative for Hutchins’ family — widower Matthew Hutchins and son Andros — thanked authorities for pursuing the charges.
“It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law,” spokesman Brian Panish said in a statement. “We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”
Mat Hayward/Getty Images
The family settled a lawsuit against producers under an agreement that aims to restart filming with Matthew’s involvement as executive producer.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, who led the initial investigation into Hutchins’ death, described “a degree of neglect” on the film set. But he left decisions about potential criminal charges to prosecutors after delivering the results of a yearlong investigation in October. That report didn’t specify how live ammunition wound up on the film set.
Taking control of the investigation, Carmack-Altwies was granted an emergency $300,000 request for the state to pay for a special prosecutor, special investigator and other experts and personnel.
Baldwin — known for his roles in “30 Rock” and “The Hunt for Red October” and his impression of former President Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live” — has described the killing of Hutchins as a “tragic accident.”
He has sought to clear his name by suing people involved in handling and supplying the loaded gun that was handed to him on set. Baldwin, also a co-producer on “Rust,” said he was told the gun was safe.
In his lawsuit, Baldwin said that while working on camera angles with Hutchins during rehearsal for a scene, he pointed the gun in her direction and pulled back and released the hammer of the gun, which discharged.
New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator determined the shooting was an accident following the completion of an autopsy and a review of law enforcement reports.
New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau has levied the maximum fine against Rust Movie Productions, based on a scathing narrative of safety failures, including testimony that production managers took limited or no action to address two misfires of blank ammunition on set prior to the fatal shooting.
Rust Movie Productions continues to challenge the basis of a $137,000 fine by regulators who say production managers on the set failed to follow standard industry protocols for firearms safety.
The armorer, Gutierrez Reed, has been the subject of much of the scrutiny in the case, along with an independent ammunition supplier. An attorney for Gutierrez Reed has said the armorer didn’t put a live round in the gun that killed Hutchins, and believes she was the victim of sabotage. Authorities said they’ve found no evidence of that.
Investigators initially found 500 rounds of ammunition at the movie set on the outskirts of Santa Fe — a mix of blanks, dummy rounds and what appeared to be live rounds. Industry experts have said live rounds should never be on set.
In April 2022, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department released a trove of files including lapel camera video of the mortally wounded Hutchins slipping in and out of consciousness as an evacuation helicopter arrived. Witness interrogations, email threads, text conversations, inventories of ammunition and hundreds of photographs rounded out that collection of evidence.
State workplace safety regulators said that immediate gun-safety concerns were addressed when “Rust” ceased filming, and that a return to filming in New Mexico would be accompanied by new safety inspections.
“Rust” was beset by disputes from the start in early October 2021. Seven crew members walked off the set just hours before the fatal shooting amid discord over working conditions.
Hutchins’ death has influenced negotiations over safety provisions in film crew union contracts with Hollywood producers and spurred other filmmakers to choose computer-generated imagery of gunfire rather than real weapons with blank ammunition to minimize risks.
Alec Baldwin and armorer to be charged with involuntary manslaughter after fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of ‘Rust’
CNN
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Actor Alec Baldwin, who fatally shot a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in 2021, and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, will each be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors said Thursday.
The family of Halyna Hutchins, who was the film’s director of photography, thanked prosecutors for their decision.
“It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law,” the family said in a statement released by attorney Brian J. Panish.
Baldwin has maintained he was not aware the gun he fired during a rehearsal contained a live round. His attorney called the prosecutors’ decision “a terrible miscarriage of justice.”
“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,” attorney Luke Nikas said.
“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.”
Live updates: Alec Baldwin to be charged in fatal ‘Rust’ shooting
An attorney for Gutierrez Reed said he believes jurors will find his client not guilty.
“We were expecting the charges but they’re absolutely wrong as to Hannah – we expect that she will be found not guilty by a jury and she did not commit manslaughter,” attorney Jason Bowles said in a statement Thursday.
“She has been emotional about the tragedy but has committed no crime.”
Baldwin and Gutierrez Reed each face two counts of involuntary manslaughter so that a jury can decide which specific count may be more appropriate, New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said.
If convicted, “they will only be sentenced to one count,” the prosecutor said.
In either case, a conviction is punishable by up to 18 months in jail and up to a $5,000 fine, prosecutors said.
But one count would involve a firearm enhancement, or added mandatory penalty, because a firearm was involved. In that case, the crime could be punishable by a mandatory five years in jail, prosecutors said.
The district attorney said she believed “Rust” had a “really fast and loose set,” citing “a lack of safety and safety standards” and “live rounds on set – they were mixed in with regular dummy rounds.”
“Nobody was checking those, or least they weren’t checking them consistently,” Carmack-Altwies said.
“And then they somehow got loaded into a gun, handed off to Alec Baldwin; he didn’t check it, he didn’t do any of the things that he was supposed to do to make sure that he was safe or that anyone around him was safe. And then he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins and he pulled the trigger.”
Hutchins was struck and killed by a live round of ammunition fired from a prop gun being held by Baldwin, who maintains he did not pull the gun’s trigger.
Director Joel Souza was also shot and injured. No charges will be filed against Souza in relation to the shooting.
In the summary of the postmortem investigation into Hutchins’ death – which was formally signed by the New Mexico chief medical investigator – the cause of death is listed as “gunshot wound of chest,” and the manner of death is listed as an “accident.”
“Review of available law enforcement reports showed no compelling demonstration that the firearm was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on set. Based on all available information, including the absence of obvious intent to cause harm or death, the manner of death is best classified as accident,” the report concluded.
An FBI forensics report said the weapon could not be fired during FBI testing of its normal functioning without pulling the trigger while the gun was cocked. The report also noted the gun eventually malfunctioned during testing after internal parts fractured, which caused the gun to go off in the cocked position without pulling the trigger.
The shooting has led to a whirlwind of finger-pointing and allegations of negligence from those involved.
In an interview with CNN in August, Baldwin placed responsibility for the tragedy on Gutierrez Reed, who served as the armorer and props assistant on the film, and assistant director Dave Halls, who handed him the gun.
Halls signed a plea agreement “for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon,” the district attorney’s office announced in its statement Thursday. Prosecutors said the terms of that deal include six months of probation.
On Thursday, Halls’ attorney Lisa Tarraco released a statement in defense of her client, who does not face charges in connection with the tragedy.
“Absent no charges at all, this is the best outcome for Mr. Halls and the case,” Tarraco said. “He can now put this matter behind him and allow the focus of this tragedy to be on the shooting victims and changing the industry so this type of accident will never happen again. “
In November, Baldwin filed suit against Gutierrez Reed and Halls and other individuals associated with the film, according to a cross-complaint obtained by CNN.
Through their respective attorneys, both Gutierrez Reed and Halls maintained they were not at fault and accused Baldwin of deflecting blame onto others.
Gutierrez Reed also sued the movie’s gun and ammunition supplier and its founder – who deny wrongdoing – and alleged a cache of dummy ammunition was sold with live rounds mixed in.
In October, Hutchins’ family reached an undisclosed settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Baldwin and others involved in producing the film.
Matthew Hutchins, widower of Halyna Hutchins, described her death as a “terrible accident” in a statement at the time of the settlement. Production on “Rust” was to resume this month with Matthew Hutchins joining as an executive producer on the film as part of the agreement.
Slavery, involuntary servitude rejected by 4 states’ voters
Voters in four states have approved ballot measures that will change their state constitutions to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime, while those in a fifth state rejected a flawed version of the question.
The measures approved Tuesday could curtail the use of prison labor in Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont.
In Louisiana, a former slave-holding state and one of a handful that sentences convicted felons to hard labor, lawmakers trying to get rid of forced prisoner labor ended up torpedoing their own measure. They told voters to reject it because the ballot measure included ambiguous language that did not prohibit involuntary servitude in the criminal justice system.
Despite the setback in Louisiana, Max Parthas, campaigns coordinator for the Abolish Slavery National Network, called Tuesday’s vote on anti-slavery measures historic.
“I believed that the people would choose freedom over slavery, if we gave them the opportunity, by taking the slavery question away from the legislators and putting it into the hands of the people. And they proved us right,” he said.
The four approved initiatives won’t force immediate changes in the states’ prisons, but they may invite legal challenges over the practice of coercing prisoners to work under threat of sanctions or loss of privileges if they refuse the work.
Vermont’s constitutional amendment removes what supporters say is ambiguous language and makes clear that slavery and indentured servitude are prohibited in the state.
While Vermont’s legislature was the first state to abolish adult slavery in 1777, its constitution stated that no person 21 or older should serve as a slave unless bound by their own consent or “by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like.” The amendment removes that language and adds that slavery and indentured servitude in any form are banned.
“We think it shows how forward thinking and good-natured Vermonters are and we’re looking forward to using it as a springboard to do a lot of work on dismantling systemic racism going forward,” said Debbie Ingram, executive director of Vermont Interfaith Action and a former state senator who sponsored the proposal.
The results were celebrated widely among anti-slavery advocates, including those pushing to further amend the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits enslavement and involuntary servitude except as a form of criminal punishment. More than 150 years after enslaved Africans and their descendants were released from bondage through ratification of the 13th Amendment, the slavery exception continues to permit the exploitation of labor by incarcerated individuals.
“Voters in Oregon and other states have come together across party lines to say that this stain must be removed from state constitutions,” Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, told The Associated Press.
“Now, it is time for all Americans to come together and say that it must be struck from the U.S. Constitution. There should be no exceptions to a ban on slavery,” he said.
Coinciding with the creation of the Juneteenth federal holiday last year, Merkley and Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Georgia, reintroduced legislation to revise the 13th Amendment to end the slavery exception. If it wins approval in Congress, the constitutional amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of U.S. states.
After Tuesday’s vote, more than a dozen states still have constitutions that include language permitting slavery and involuntary servitude for prisoners. Several other states have no constitutional language for or against the use of forced prison labor.
Voters in Colorado became the first to approve removal of slavery exception language from the state constitution in 2018, followed by Nebraska and Utah two years later.
Parthas said he and other advocates in his network worked with 15 states on anti-slavery legislation in 2022, although only five made it to the ballot. In 2023, the network plans to work with two dozen states.
“We’ll keep doing it as many times as necessary,” until the U.S. reaches the threshold of 38 states needed to revise the 13th Amendment, Parthas said.
“Even our ancestors were unable to get this far,” he said.
The movement to end or regulate the use of prison labor has existed for decades, since the time when former Confederate states sought ways to maintain the use of chattel slavery after the Civil War. Southern states used racist laws, referred to as “Black codes,” to criminalize, imprison and re-enslave Black Americans over benign behavior.
Today, prison labor is a multibillion-dollar practice. By comparison, workers can make pennies on the dollar. And prisoners who refuse to work can be denied privileges such as phone calls and visits with family, as well as face solitary confinement, all punishments that are eerily similar to those used during antebellum slavery.
“The 13th Amendment didn’t actually abolish slavery — what it did was make it invisible,” Bianca Tylek, an anti-slavery advocate and the executive director of the criminal justice advocacy group Worth Rises, told the AP in an interview ahead of Election Day.
She said passage of the ballot initiatives, especially in red states like Alabama, “is a great signal for what’s possible at the federal level.”
“There is a big opportunity here, in this moment,” Tylek said.
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AP writer Lisa Rathke in Montpelier, Vermont, contributed.
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Aaron Morrison is a New York City-based member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and check out https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections to learn more about the issues and factors at play.