Alec Baldwin to face involuntary manslaughter charge over 'Rust' shooting

LOS ANGELES — Alec Baldwin is to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the accidental shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the low-budget western "Rust," a prosecutor said Thursday.

The film's armorer, who was responsible for the weapon that fired the shot that killed Halyna Hutchins, will also be charged, New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced.

If convicted, they both face up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

"After a thorough review of the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico, I have determined that there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew," Carmack-Altwies said.

"On my watch, no one is above the law, and everyone deserves justice."

Baldwin was holding the Colt. 45 during rehearsals for the film when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza in October 2021.

The former "30 Rock" star has insisted he was told by crew that the gun was not loaded.

He has also previously said he did not pull the trigger, though experts have cast doubt on this claim.

A lengthy investigation has looked at how the live round -- and five others -- got onto the New Mexico film set, with attention focused on the armorer and ammunition supplier.

Investigators found the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, had put the fatal round in Baldwin's gun, instead of using a similar-looking dummy round.

In August, Baldwin said he did not believe he would be charged, telling CNN he had hired a private investigator to assess possible culpability.

A raft of civil suits have been lodged in the months since Hutchins' death, with various crew suing and counter-suing.

In October, Baldwin reached an undisclosed settlement with the family of 42-year-old Hutchins.

Agence France-Presse

Alec Baldwin arrested in New York after 'punching' man

NEW YORK - Hollywood actor and television presenter Alec Baldwin was arrested in New York on Friday for allegedly punching a 49-year-old man in the face during a parking dispute, police said.

The 60-year-old, who has famously impersonated President Donald Trump and who lives in downtown Manhattan with his second wife and their 4 young children, was arrested in Greenwich Village, a police spokeswoman told AFP.

"Police got a call around 1:30 pm (1730 GMT) regarding an assault in progress. When we got there, we discovered that it looked like 2 individuals were fighting over a parking spot," the spokeswoman said.

The younger man had already parked his vehicle and was attempting to purchase a parking ticket, when he got into a dispute with Baldwin, "who then punched him in the face," the officer said.

She said the unnamed man was taken to hospital in "stable" condition, while Baldwin was in custody awaiting charges.

Baldwin is well known for his hot temper and for impersonating Trump on satirical US television show "Saturday Night Live." The Oscar nominee recently launched a Sunday night talk show on ABC television.

In 2014, he was detained by New York police for riding his bicycle the wrong way down a street.

In late 2013, NBC scrapped his late-night chat show after he allegedly subjected a photographer to a homophobic slur outside his apartment on the day that a Canadian actress convicted of stalking him was jailed.

In a subsequent profanity-laden article in New York Magazine, the actor said he was finished with public life and that the Big Apple no longer offered his then baby daughter a "normal" life.

The nearly 5,300-word rant denied allegations that he insulted gays and lashed out furiously against the media, the city where he has lived since 1979, and US public life in general.

Despite that February 2014 article, the actor still lives in Manhattan with second wife Hilaria. The couple now share 4 young children.

His anger made headlines as long ago as 2007, when he left a notorious message for his then 11-year-old daughter with first wife Kim Basinger, calling her a "rude, thoughtless little pig."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Alec Baldwin asked to leave flight for playing game

LOS ANGELES - Actor Alec Baldwin was involved in a dispute with an American Airlines flight attendant on Tuesday and was asked to disembark an airplane because he was playing a smartphone word game before departure.

"Alec was asked to leave the flight for playing 'Words with Friends' while parked at the gate. He loves WWF so much that he was willing to leave a plane for it, but he has already boarded another AA flight," Baldwin's spokesman Matthew Hiltzik said in a statement.

Baldwin took to Twitter with several posts addressing the incident, as well as supporting rival United Airlines.

"Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving," tweeted the "30 Rock" actor.

He also tweeted "Last flight w American. Where retired Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950's find jobs as flight attendants."

Baldwin's tweets and his spokesman's statement came after a passenger on the flight from Los Angeles International Airport to New York City posted on Twitter, "On an AA flight at LAX. Alec Baldwin removed from the plane We had to go back to the gate. Terrible that everyone had to wait."

An official with American Airlines declined to comment citing customer privacy. - Reuters

source:gmanetwork.com