Alex Baldwin was a foul-mouthed bully on the set of Rust and rushed crew members in a way that compromised safety before shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead, court documents allege.
Prosecutors in New Mexico have filed new documents saying the actor’s behavior on the tragic set contributed to ‘safety compromises’ that led to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.
The government’s filing is in response to a legal motion by Baldwin asking to throw out the charges of involuntary manslaughter he faces in the killing. He is scheduled to go on trial in July.
Baldwin, 66, had ‘no control of his emotions on set,’ was ‘inattentive’ during firearms training and ‘frequently screaming and cursing’ prior to the deadly incident, according to court documents obtained by People.
‘To watch Mr Baldwin’s conduct on the set of Rust is to witness a man who has absolutely no control of his own emotions and absolutely no concern for how his conduct affects those around him,’ Prosecutors wrote in the filing.
Alex Baldwin has been accused of screaming and cursing at the crew on the Rust set, as prosecutors claim he rushed colleagues and compromised safety
Baldwin, 66, had ‘no control of his emotions on set,’ was ‘inattentive’ during firearms training and ‘frequently screaming and cursing’ prior to Halyna Hutchin’s killing
‘Witnesses have testified that it was this exact conduct that contributed to safety compromises on set.’
Prosecutors say they also argue that Baldwin ‘shamelessly lied’ and changed his story after the shooting.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a rehearsal on the Western movie set.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the actor’s lawyer for comment.
Baldwin, the lead actor and a co-producer on the Western movie Rust was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the gun went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
A grand jury in Santa Fe indicted Baldwin in January after prosecutors received a new analysis of that gun, renewing a charge that prosecutors originally filed and then dismissed in April 2023. Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the deadly shooting earlier this year
Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of Rust where it was expressly prohibited
During the trial of Gutierrez-Reed, prosecutors painted a damning portrait of a film that was in a state of ‘rushed chaos’
Baldwin remains free pending trial under conditions that include not possessing firearms, consuming alcohol or leaving the country.
The Oscar-nominated actor has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the gun fired.
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the deadly shooting earlier this year.
Testimony by an independent gun expert during Gutierrez-Reed’s trial cast doubt on Baldwin’s account that his gun went off without pulling the trigger.
Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of Rust where it was expressly prohibited. They also said she failed to follow basic gun safety protocols.
Rust assistant director and safety coordinator Dave Halls last year pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm and completed a sentence of six months unsupervised probation.
Halls, seen here, was the first assistant director on Rust and did not serve prison time after pleading to a count of negligent handling of a deadly weapon
Baldwin was offered a plea deal last year that would have seen him serve no jail time in connection with Hutchins’ death, Variety reported.
The outlet reported that before the actor could decide whether to accept the terms, prosecutors pulled the offer and said they would be indicting him.
In a filing seen by the outlet, prosecutor Kary Morrissey offered ‘a plea deal identical to the petty misdemeanor deal accepted by Dave Halls.’
The filing states that the offer was made on October 5 and Baldwin was given until October 27 to decide, but prosecutors rescinded the offer on October 17.
Halls, the first assistant director on Rust, did not serve prison time after pleading to a count of negligent handling of a deadly weapon.
He was given six months of unsupervised probation, a $500 fine, 24 hours of community service and ordered to take a firearm safety class.
Baldwin’s lawyers have accused the prosecutors in the case of a list of abuses and are looking to have case dismissed.