Alec Baldwin’s lawyers file new motion for gun law charge that didn’t exist at time of ‘Rust’ shooti
Today, Alec Baldwin's lawyers filed a motion saying the government is unlawfully charging him with the firearm enhancement charge in connection to the death of cinematographer Helena Hutchins on the Santa Fe movie set of Rust back in 2021. And a New Mexico criminal defense lawyer agrees with Baldwin's legal team. Here's News 13's Ariana Kraft. I take the gun out and as I take it as it clears, as the barrel clears, I'll turn and cock the gun. I turn and cock the gun. The gun goes off. It's supposed to be a cold gun.
Actor Alec Baldwin has been at the center of the Rust movie set shooting that left cinematographer Helena Hutchins dead when Baldwin shot a gun during filming that contained a real bullet. Three people didn't do their jobs correctly. And so because of that, it's not negligence, it's recklessness. It was reckless for everyone to just not do their jobs. The Santa Fe district attorney recently charged Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter as well as a firearm enhancement, which carries an additional five-year penalty. A New Mexico criminal defense lawyer says that the firearm enhancement for use did not become law until May 2022, seven months after Hutchins was killed in October 2021. She says the enhancement shouldn't apply to this situation.
Unless I'm missing something about this, the DA probably needs to dismiss the firearm enhancement and just seek penalties for the underlying involuntary manslaughter charge. According to the attorney, there is a 2020 firearm enhancement for brandishing a gun that was in effect at the time of the Rust shooting. The DA could try to pursue a firearm enhancement under that three-year brandishing enhancement that was in effect at the time. But based on the charging documents that the DA filed, I don't see how the DA is going to show intent to intimidate or injure based on the facts it's alleging. Ariana Kraft, Care QE News 13. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is also charged with that firearm enhancement. Gutierrez-Reed and Alec Baldwin are set for their initial appearances February 24.
http//krqe.com, news, video, new mexico, krqe, albuquerque