How much jail time could Alec Baldwin face for involuntary manslaughter? - KOAT New Mexico

STARTS RIGHT NOW. I DIDN’T MEAN TO DO IT. THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE INTENT TO KILL, BUT IT HAPPENED ANYWAY. AND IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF MORE THAN MERE NEGLIGENCE. OUR TOP STORY OF FIVE CHARGES WILL BE FILED IN THE RUSSELLVILLE SET SHOOTING. ACTOR ALEC BALDWIN AND ARMOR HANNAH GUTIERREZ. REED WILL BOTH FACE TWO COUNTS OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, ACCORDING TO THE SANTA FE COUNTY DA’S OFFICE. THE INCIDENT IN OCTOBER OF 2021 KILLED CINEMATOGRAPHER HALINA HUTCHENS AND INJURED DIRECTOR JOEL SOUZA. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED ON THE BONANZA CREEK RANCH MOVIE SET NEAR SANTA FE. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE WITH REPORTERS WORKING ALL OF THE ANGLES. OUR LEGAL EXPERT, JOHN DAY, SAYS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOCKING IF NO CHARGES WERE FILED. HE’LL JOIN US COMING UP. BUT WE BEGIN WITH STEPHANIE MANNIES, WHO EXPLAINS THE CHARGES. DOUG SALLEE, THE SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. MARY CARMACK ALWAYS ANNOUNCED THREE PEOPLE WOULD BE CHARGED IN THE REST FILM SET SHOOTING. THE MOST SERIOUS CHARGES ARE INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES FOR ACTOR AND PRODUCER ALEC BALDWIN AND ARMOR HANNAH GUTIERREZ. REED, THE FILM’S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DAVE HULLS, REACHED A PLEA AGREEMENT OCTOBER 21ST, 2021. A SINGLE GUNSHOT ROUND RING AT BONANZA CREEK RANCH. BONANZA CREEK GRANT PEOPLE ACCIDENTAL SHOT ON A MOVIE SET BY A PROP GUN. THE RANCH FULL OF CAST AND CREW MEMBERS FOR THE WESTERN MOVIE RUST. ACTOR ALEC BALDWIN WAS USING THE GUN WHEN INVESTIGATORS SAY HE FIRED TOWARD CINEMATOGRAPHER HELENA HUTCHINS AND DIRECTOR JOEL SOUZA. NOW, SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY MARY CARMACK, ALWAYS SAYS THREE PEOPLE WILL BE CHARGED INCLUDE BALDWIN, BALDWIN AND WILL BE CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF ELAINA HUTCHINS. THAT’S A FOURTH DEGREE FELONY WITH UP TO 18 MONTHS IN JAIL AND A $5,000 FINE. THE JURY COULD ALSO ADD A MANDATORY FIVE YEAR PRISON SENTENCE BECAUSE THE DEATH INVOLVED A GUN. THE FILM SETS ARMOR ARMER HANNAH GUTIERREZ. REED IS THE DAUGHTER OF A WELL-KNOWN PROP MASTER, FELL READ IN AN INTERVIEW LAST YEAR. HE TOLD ABC NEWS HE DID NOT BELIEVE HIS DAUGHTER WOULD BE NO. THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT AT ALL. BUT SHE’S ALSO FACING THE SAME CHARGE OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER AS BALDWIN. THAT INCLUDES THE POSSIBLE MANDATORY FIVE YEAR SENTENCE. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DAVID HALL’S REACHED A PLEA AGREEMENT AND HE WILL PLEAD GUILTY TO NEGLIGENT USE OF A DEADLY WEAPON AND WILL FACE SIX MONTHS OF PROBATION. STEPHANIE NEECE KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS AND THE SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS HER OFFICE WILL FILE THESE CHARGES BY THE END OF THE MONTH. BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT, OUR KOAT LEGAL EXPERT JOHN DAY JOINS US ONCE AGAIN. JOHN, WE’VE HAD A LOT OF REACTION, HEARD A LOT OF THINGS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TODAY ABOUT THIS CASE. SOME ARE SAYING THAT BECAUSE ALEC BALDWIN IS A CELEBRITY, THAT THE D.A. COULD BE OVERREACHING HERE. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THIS? I KNOW WE’RE HEARING A LOT FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, NOT LOCAL IN NEW MEXICO, BUT BOTH COASTS, FOR EXAMPLE, LEGAL EXPERTS SAYING, WELL, THIS IS OVER CHARGING. BALDWIN’S NOT RESPONSE. BUT I THINK WE LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE EYES OF THE LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY. IF SHE HADN’T CHARGED HIM, HOW WOULD SHE CONTINUE ON? HOW WOULD YOU HAVE ANOTHER CASE INVOLVING INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER? BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD BE SAYING, WELL, I’M NOT A CELEBRITY. SO YOU KNOW, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS, TOO. BUT I THINK THE FACT IS, IS THAT SHE’S TRYING TO KEEP A PRECEDENT SET HERE, WHICH IS THAT IF YOU USE A GUN, IF YOU’RE HOLDING A GUN, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT COMES OUT THE OTHER END. AND YOU TOUCHED ON THIS RIGHT HERE, BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERY ACTION, IT’S DIFFERENT. SO THIS COULD SET SOME TYPE OF PRECEDENT HERE. NEXT GO. WELL, I THINK THE IDEA IS THAT FILM SETS ARE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE ATTENTIVE TO THE TO THE SAFETY RULES AND I THINK THAT’S ONE POINT THAT THE D.A. IS MAKING, IS THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF LAXITY, A LOT OF CARELESSNESS, A LOT OF INATTENTION TO SAFETY RULES ON THIS SET. AND THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WENT INTO HER CHARGING DECISION. A LOT OF THE STAFF COMING AND GOING, REPORTS OF TARGET PRACTICE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD. SO YOU HAVE VERY DIFFERENT SET SAFETY SERIOUSLY. YOU DON’T GET THE MESSAGE SENT HERE TO. OKAY. JOHN, THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE A STATEMENT COMING FROM THE FAMILY OF ALEENA. HUTCHINS, AND IT SAYS THIS IN PART, WE WANT TO THANK THE SANTA FE SHERIFF AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR CONCLUDING THEIR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINING THAT CHARGES FOR INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER ARE WARRANTED FOR THE KILLING OF ELAINA HUTCHENS WITH CONSCIOUS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE. OUR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION ALSO SUPPORTS THAT CHARGES ARE WARRANTED. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK NOW AT THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT. ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2021, BALDWIN FIRED A GUN, KILLING HELENE HUTCHINS AND INJURING DIRECTOR JOEL SOUZA. BALDWIN’S SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD BE CHARGED, BUT THE SANTA FE SHERIFF MAINTAINED NO ONE IS OFF THE HOOK. THE FINAL DECISION COMPLETELY UP TO THE D.A. WHO SAID LAST WEEK THAT ANNOUNCEMENT WAS COMING? AND BALDWIN CLAIMS HE WAS COMPLYING WITH THE INVESTIGATION. ANY SUGGESTION THAT I AM NOT COMPLYING WITH REQUESTS OR ORDERS OR DEMANDS OR SEARCH WARRANTS ABOUT MY PHONE. THAT’S BULL. THAT’S A LIE. ONE BIG PIECE OF EVIDENCE. BALDWIN’S CELL PHONE. AS AUTHORITIES LOOK TO GET TEXT MESSAGES, CALL LOGS, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS, AND PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGES. KATIE BOND, WHO IS LIVE NOW IN SANTA FE. THAT’S WHAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS EXPLAINING HER DECISION, FAITH IS RIGHT. THE REST MOVIE SET WAS HERE, BONANZA CREEK RANCH AND PROSECUTOR, TO SEE THAT DEADLY SHOOTING THAT TOOK PLACE HERE JUST OVER A YEAR AGO COULD HAVE ALL BEEN AVOIDED. AND NOW THE SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS TALKING ABOUT HER REASONS FOR CHARGING ALEC BALDWIN AND ARMOR HAD A GUTIERREZ READ WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. MARY CARMICHAEL, WHY SAYS PROBABLE CAUSE IS THERE? AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DAVID HAWES HAS ALREADY AGREED TO PLEAD GUILTY TO NEGLIGENT USE OF A DEADLY WEAPON. SHE SAYS THE CRIMINAL CHARGES STEM FROM A LACK OF SAFETY STANDARDS ON SET. THERE WERE LIVE ROUNDS ON SET. THEY WERE MIXED IN WITH REGULAR DUMMY ROUNDS. NOBODY WAS CHECKING THOSE, OR AT LEAST THEY WEREN’T CHECKING THEM CONSISTENTLY. AND THEN THEY SOMEHOW GOT LOADED INTO A GUN, HANDED OFF TO ALEC BALDWIN. HE DIDN’T CHECK IT. HE DIDN’T DO ANY OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS SAFE OR THAT ANYONE AROUND HIM WAS SAFE. AND THEN HE POINTED THE GUN AT HELENA HUTCHINS AND HE PULLED THE TRIGGER. AND THE D.A. SAYS BOLLAND HAD A DUTY AS AN ACTOR AND PRODUCER TO CHECK THE GUN AND REPORTS OF PREVIOUS ACCIDENTAL MISFIRES ON THE SET ADDED TO THEIR OBLIGATION TO PREVENT ANOTHER ACCIDENT. AND COMING UP AT SIX, WHY PROSECUTORS SAY BALDWIN IS NOT ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HUTCHINS DEATH, BUT HIS ACTIONS IN THAT MOMENT REPORTING TO SANTA FE, 51 TO KOAT APP ACTION 7 NEWS. NOW WE RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROM THE ATTORNEY FOR AAMER OR HANNAH GUTIERREZ READ. THEY WROTE, HANNAH IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY EMOTIONAL AND SAD ABOUT THIS TRAGIC ACCIDENT, BUT SHE DID NOT COMMIT INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. THESE CHARGES ARE THE RESULT OF VERY FLAWED INVESTIGATIONS AND AN ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOUR FOR THE FILM’S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DAVID HALL SIGNED A PLEA AGREEMENT ON CHARGES OF NEGLIGENT USE OF A DEADLY WEAPON, WHICH IS A PETTY MISDEMEANOR. HE’LL SERVE A SUSPENDED SENTENCE AND SIX MONTHS PROBATION. HALL’S ATTORNEY MAINTAINED COMMUNICATION WITH THE SANTA FE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SINCE OCTOBER 20, 21 AND MORE RECENTLY, WE STARTED WORKING ON A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION. AND SO I WAS NOT SURPRISED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT BECAUSE I HAD, YOU KNOW, I HAD BEEN INFORMED AND I HAD BEEN WORKING WITH MS. CARMACK, AND I KNEW WHAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS GOING TO BE. AND OUR LEGAL EXPERT, JOHN DAY, JOINING US ONCE AGAIN. WE JUST HEARD FROM THE ATTORNEY FOR THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ABOUT HOW SHE WORKED FOR OVER A YEAR TRYING TO REACH THIS PLEA AGREEMENT. GOOD IDEA. SMART MOVE ON ON DAVE HALL’S ATTORNEY’S PART BECAUSE IT’S BASICALLY A RACE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE WHO IS GOING TO GET THERE FIRST? WHO’S GOING TO GET A DEAL, WHO’S GOING TO COOPERATE, TESTIFY AGAINST THE OTHERS. STRATEGICALLY, IT WAS A SMART THING FOR HIM TO DO. HE MAY HAVE HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF CULPABILITY OF THE THREE OF THEM. AND HIS SENTENCE IS ESSENTIALLY A SLAP ON THE WRIST. IT’S A PROBATION PERIOD. NO JAIL TIME FOR PETTY MISDEMEANOR, THE LOWEST, LITERALLY THE LOWEST POSSIBLE CHARGE THAT THAT COULD HAVE COME. AND AS A RESULT, HE’S GOING TO MOST LIKELY TESTIFY AGAINST THE OTHER TWO. IF THIS CASE GOES TO TRIAL, WHICH WOULD WEIGH ON THIS SINCE OCTOBER OF 2021, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WILL BALDWIN ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN COURT? WELL, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS AN ARRAIGNMENT, WHICH HE CAN WAIVE. MOST LIKELY HE’S NOT GOING TO SHOW UP, BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE WHAT’S CALLED A PRELIMINARY HEARING, WHICH IS A MINI TRIAL WHERE THE D.A. PRESENTS EVIDENCE TO A JUDGE. THE JUDGE DETERMINES IS THERE ENOUGH PROBABLE CAUSE HERE TO MOVE THE CASE ON INTO DISTRICT COURT. AND MOST LIKELY, BALDWIN WILL BE