Murder of Galina Hutchins: Baldwin has an important charge dropped, now he faces a small prison term
Alec Baldwin won a key legal battle that resulted in the dismissal of the extended use of a firearm in the murder of Galina Hutchins. This has drastically reduced the potential prison term he faces, reports New York Post.
The district attorney initially filed a charge of extended use of firearms. New Mexico law provides that this section can only be invoked in a prosecution if the gun was "branded," that is, the weapon was displayed with the intent to intimidate or injure a person. This was clearly not the case with Baldwin.
The Santa Fe County District Attorney's office confirmed on Feb. 20 that it dropped the extended use of firearms count from one of two manslaughter charges the star faced.
On the subject: Jimmy Carter refuses to stay in hospital to 'spend the rest of his time with his family'
Without him, that means he faces a maximum of 18 months in prison for manslaughter, up from the five years he was previously threatened with.
Lawyers for the 64-year-old Baldwin previously argued that the charge was "unconstitutional" because it was based on a New Mexico law enacted after the fatal October 2021 shooting on the set of Rust.
Heather Brewer, a spokesperson for the district attorney, confirmed that the enhancement was removed due to a legal argument.
Like the article? Support ForumDaily!?
"To avoid further legal action by Baldwin and his attorneys, the District Attorney and Special Attorney dropped the extended use of firearms from the manslaughter charges against Galina Hutchins on the set of Rust," Brewer said.
"The prosecution's priority is to ensure fairness, not to provide paid hours for city attorneys," Brewer said in a statement. Legal documents show that the clause was officially removed on February 17, a week before the star's first court hearing. This also extends to Hannah Gutierrez-Reid, a rookie gunsmith who was in charge of the guns on set. She is accused along with Baldwin.
Baldwin's lawyers argued in a Feb. 10 statement that the charge was based on legal changes made on May 18, 2022, seven months after Hutchins, 42, was shot while rehearsing for a scene.
"Prosecutors made a serious legal error by charging Baldwin under a version of the Firearms Expansion Act that did not exist at the time of the incident," Baldwin's lawyers said in a statement.
You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New Y.
Gutierrez-Reid's attorney, Jason Bowles, also filed paperwork that day, saying his team "accepts and includes" the same argument.
“We applaud the district attorney's decision to reject expanded gun enforcement, and it was the right choice ethically and substantively,” Bowles said.
As ForumDaily wrote earlier:
- On October 21, 2021, on the set of the film, Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin accidentally killed the cameraman and injured the director. The Ukrainian woman was killed. Sources claim that she could have filmed her own death.
- Court records show that weapons were readily available gunsmith and film assistant director.
- According to sources, the set was in complete chaos with weapons.
- The police are checking information on Alec's phone Baldwin.
- In November, the head of the lighting team on the set of the western "Rust" (Rust) Sergey Svetnoy filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles (California) because of the shooting on the set.
- Alec Baldwin gave an interview in December for the first time since the death of cameraman Galina Hutchins. The actor stated that he did not pull the trigger of the revolver.
- The family of the murdered operator of the western Rust Galina Hutchins February 15 filed a wrongful death lawsuit against actor Alec Baldwin and film producers, citing cost-cutting measures as the cause of the tragedy. Relatives of the deceased accused Baldwin and others of reckless behavior.
- FBI forensics on the murder of Galina Hutchins assures that the gun could not have fired on its own, Baldwin pulled the trigger though he denies it. Court blamed for the murder of Galina Hutchins exclusively on Alec Baldwin.
- Later it became known that Alec Baldwin reached an out-of-court settlement with relatives cinematographer Galina Hutchins.
- In turn, Baldwin filed a lawsuit against several people associated with the filming of the film "Rust".
- The prosecutor's office stated that file two counts of manslaughter against Baldwin: he was obliged to ensure that weapons and ammunition were properly checked; he should never have directed it at anyone.
- On February 10, New Mexico prosecutors filed a formal indictment against Baldwin for manslaughter. Now he faces another lawsuit. from the Hutchins family, this time from her parents Anatoly Androsovich and Olga Solovey, as well as sister Svetlana Zemko.
- Read the stories of the worst tragedies and accidents that occurred directly on the set in our material.
Read also on ForumDaily:
California Nurse Earns $2 Million Selling Study Notes
Riding a Wake: the Russian Who Conquered a US Sport
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google NewsDo you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.