Alec Baldwin has filed a motion to dismiss the manslaughter charge he will face trial over later this year. Per documents released by TMZ, Baldwin and his team have accused the Santa Fe District Attorney of “rigging” the grand jury process against Baldwin. Baldwin’s team says the seven witnesses presented to the grand jury were “biased” against the actor. They allege that three were on the “DA’s payroll” while another is currently suing Baldwin in a civil suit. A date has not been set to hear the motion. Baldwin’s trial is currently scheduled for July.
Baldwin is charged with the involuntary manslaughter of a cinematographer on the set of his film Rust. Halyna Hutchins was killed when a prop firearm held by Baldwin discharged a live round on the New Mexico set. Baldwin was initially charged but later saw the charges dropped. However, a grand jury chose to re-indict the veteran actor earlier this year. A major piece of evidence, with the motion contests, is an FBI report that Baldwin’s gun could not have fired without the trigger being pulled.
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Rust Armorer Found Guilty
Meanwhile, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on Rust, has been found guilty for her role in the on-set death of Hutchins. The 26-year-old was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a potential sentence of 18 months in prison and a $5000 fine. However, Guiterrez-Reed was found not guilty on an evidence tampering charge. This week, a judge set a sentencing hearing next month for Gutierrez-Reed.
Gutierrez-Reed’s role in the death of Halyna Hutchins was largely one of negligence. The prosecution accused her of unknowingly bringing live ammunition to set. It reportedly remained there for 12 days before the fatal shooting. Prosecutors argued that Gutierrez-Reed’s job, if done correctly, should have spotted the mistake and removed the ammunition well before tragedy struck. Overall, the armorer was lambasted for her failings when it came to gun safety and other basic tenets of her job. Gutierrez-Reed is expected to appeal the decision.
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