Actor Alec Baldwin, who allegedly shot and killed a woman on the set of the film Rust, believes he's being prosecuted only to "humble" an "arrogant" movie star, Breitbart reported. Prosecutors initially accepted a plea deal but later charged the 66-year-old actor with involuntary manslaughter.
On October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed after a firearm in Baldwin's hand was discharged. The weapon was being used in the film but somehow had live rounds.
Baldwin maintained that he never pulled the trigger and that the hammer engaged on its own and fired the shot. However, FBI testing found that "the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."
The armorer on set, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was found guilty of accidental manslaughter and received a sentence of 18 months in prison. Still, Baldwin believes he's being prosecuted to teach him a lesson.
The 30 Rock was originally offered a plum plea deal this October despite the seriousness of the situation. Baldwin believes that the reversal is proof that prosecutor Kari Morrissey is targeting him.
However, Morrissey said that Baldwin's claims about the deal are "false and misleading." She contends that the "plea was withdrawn due to the reasons outlined in our response to his motion to dismiss."
The Baldwin legal team filed documents that Morrissey withdrew the offer was because the actor had "commissioned his own documentary about Hutchins’ death and sought to interview witnesses for the purported film." There are indeed two documentaries about Hutchins' death.
One documentary is being produced with the "full support" of the late cinematographer's husband who is himself an executive producer, Fox News reported. The other is the work of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s sister, Rory Kennedy, though attorneys maintain that Baldwin "didn't hire Kennedy or commission her documentary" and that he is not financially involved in either.
Morrissey had cited the documentaries in her rejection of the plea deal. His attorneys pointed to other statements that she would "humble" the Beetlejuice actor because "she finds him ’arrogant’ and wants to give him a ‘teachable moment," the documents said.
Although Baldwin's trial is set for July, it seems he may be guilty in the court of public opinion based on his checkered past. The Glengarry Glen Ross actor has a reputation for being cantankerous and sometimes abusive, a separate Fox News report stated.
This idea circulated again Monday after a viral video purportedly showed Baldwin smack the camera out of the hands of a woman who filmed him while needling Baldwin about getting away with the shooting. His temper even made it into court documents.
Prosecutors cited his past behavior in a court document filed April 5. "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," it said.
"Witnesses have testified that it was this exact conduct that contributed to safety compromises on set," the filing stated. Legal experts are warning Baldwin to be more conscious of how his antics could impact his case, given his history.
It would have been a grave miscarriage of justice if Baldwin allegedly killed a woman but faced no serious consequences. He is arrogant and needs to be cut down to size, but Baldwin is facing charges because justice still needs to be done for Hutchins.
