Decision to charge Alec Baldwin branded a 'terrible miscarriage of justice'

Alec Baldwin’s attorney has branded the decision to charge his client with involuntary manslaughter over the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as a 'terrible miscarriage of justice'.

New Mexico prosecutors announced Thursday that the actor is one of three cast and crew members facing charges over the accidental shooting.

Baldwin’s attorney responded to the news in a statement to The Independent, saying: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

Luke Nikas said they intend to “fight” the charges, and “win”.

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Cinematographer Hutchins, 42, and director Joel Souza, 48, were shot on October 21 after a prop gun misfired on the New Mexico set. Hutchins later died from her injuries.

The first assistant director on Rust, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Alec Baldwin's attorney has pledged to “fight” the charges and “win”Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Last year, Baldwin said that 'every single person' who worked on the set of Rust knows 'exactly who to blame' for the death of Halyna Hutchins.

The actor spoke about the tragic incident on The Chris Cuomo Project podcast, backing up his previous claims that he didn't pull the trigger of the gun.

"The people who are talking loudest about what happened or speculating about what happened were not on the set of the film," he said. "Everybody who was there, they know exactly what happened."

Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he was told the gun was “cold”, meaning it had no live ammunition, and that he never pulled the trigger.

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