Alec Baldwin manslaughter charges downgraded, possible prison time slashed

Barnini Chakraborty

February 20, 02:58 PM February 20, 03:10 PM

Involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin have been downgraded by a New Mexico district attorney, significantly reducing the amount of time the Hollywood A-lister is facing in prison if found guilty.

Baldwin had initially been charged with involuntary manslaughter for holding the gun that discharged on the set of the movie Rust, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. The shooting took place during a rehearsal for the movie being filmed on the outskirts of Santa Fe.

ALEC BALDWIN HIT WITH RUST SUIT BY HUTCHINS'S FAMILY IN UKRAINE REPPED BY GLORIA ALLRED

Baldwin's team of attorneys argued that the Santa Fe County district attorney had illegally charged him under a firearms law that was not in place in October 2021, the time of the shooting. Under a firearm enhancement charge, Baldwin would have been looking at a minimum five-year sentence. With the charge downgraded, he is only facing a maximum of 18 months in prison if he is convicted.

"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," Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a written statement. "The prosecution's priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys."

A similar charge was dropped against Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was also charged with involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins's death.

Baldwin will make his first court appearance on Friday.

Separately, Hutchins's widower, Matthew Hutchins, filed a civil suit against Baldwin. An undisclosed settlement between Hutchins, Baldwin, and the other producers of the film was reached. The reported that part of the settlement allows Hutchins to get a producer credit in the movie should filming ever resume.

Earlier this month, attorney Gloria Allred announced she was filing a lawsuit against Baldwin on behalf of the cinematographer's mother, father, and sister, who are living in Ukraine.