Prosecutors have dropped the firearms enhancement charge against Alec Baldwin who is facing a prison sentence over the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. If he had been convicted, the actor would have faced a mandatory five years in a prison cell.
Well, he is not out of the woods just yet. Baldwin still faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting. If he is found guilty, he will still serve 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 the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office, said in a statement. “The prosecution’s priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys.”
Hutchins died on Oct. 21, 2021, after Baldwin fired a gun on the set of “Rust” in New Mexico. Director Joel Souza was also injured.