Charges Against Alec Baldwin Downgraded, Removing Potential Five-Year Prison Sentence

The criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins have been downgraded. The news was confirmed via The Hollywood Reporter on Monday, with the outlet revealing that the decision affects both Baldwin and the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. According to their reporting, the Santa Fe District Attorney formerly dropping the charges of firearm enhancement against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed, taking away the possibility of a five-year prison sentence for both. That being said, both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed still face charges of involuntary manslaughter, which carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.

"In order to avoid further litigious distractions by Mr. Baldwin and his attorneys, the District Attorney and the special prosecutor have removed the firearm enhancement to the involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set," Heather Brewer, spokesperson for the New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney, said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "The prosecution's priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys."

Both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were formerly charged on January 31st, over a year after the Rust incident in October of 2021. On the set of the film, Baldwin allegedly shot a gun containing a live round, which fatally shot Hutchins and injured director and writer Joel Souza.

"We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called Rust in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set," National President John Lindley and National Executive Director Rebecca Rhine said in a statement at the time. "The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event. This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild's family." 

Rust, which is expected to resume production in the spring, stars Baldwin — who also co-produces the film — as the titular outlaw Harland Rust, whose 13-year-old grandson is convicted of an accidental murder. The film follows Rust's attempt to break his grandson out of prison, as well as their journey on the run from U.S. Marshal wood Helm (played by Jensen Ackles) and bounty hunter Fenton "Preacher" Lang (played by Travis Fimmel). The film is written and directed by Joel Souza.

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