United States – A New Mexico judge on the Frid ay refused the actor’s request for the charge protecting him from criminal charges in connection with the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a set of Western film in October 2021.
Legal Dispute Over Actor’s Indictment
At the hearing held on May 17, Baldwin’s lawyers said that the indictment of the actor was “a sham” after a New Mexico state prosecutor did not enlighten the jurors, they could cross-examine defense witnesses and refused to let them hear the evidence that would be in favor of the actor, as reported by Reuters.
In district court, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer also dismissed the same idea through a court document.
He is set to stand trial on July 10th.
Details of the Fatal Shooting
Hutchins was shot with a live bullet after Baldwin brandished a firearm at her while she worked on a scene that involved camera direction on a set of a movie destined for the town of Santa Fe in New Mexico. The “30 Rock” actor argues that he did not pull the trigger, which has now become the debate-makers.
Legal Ramifications of On-Set Shootings
Speaking of accidental lead scenes, in April, at the incident of “Rust,” director Alec Sommer sentenced armorer Hannah Gutierrez to 18 months imprisonment after the jury from Santa Fe declared her guilty of involuntary manslaughter for loading a live round into a reproduction Colt Single Action Army revolver that Baldwin was practicing with.
Hutchins died in the first on-set fatal shooting with a live round mistaken as a dummy or blank round since the silent era of Hollywood based on history recorded by historian Alan Rode, as reported by Reuters.
Hollywood on-set shootings have in the past been resolved through civil actions. For instance, the last fatal shooting in 1993, which involved Brandon Lee, who died in ‘The Crow’ filming when a blank fired node a bullet lodged in the barrel of a handgun.