Alec Baldwin’s apparently cursed Rust film is resuming filming again this year. That’s quite a turn of events, but the production reached a settlement with the late Halyna Hutchins’ family more than one year after she perished after being shot by a firearm held by Baldwin. He previously insisted that he he didn’t fire the weapon, although the FBI investigation found that statement to be inconsistent. Still, the production will continue with Halyna’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, doing executive producing duties, and the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau exonerated Alec in light of his belief that the firearm only contained dummy rounds.
Fast forward to this week, and the Santa Fe District Attorney’s office feels differently. Baldwin is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, and in a statement to PEOPLE, his attorney called the decision “a terrible miscarriage of justice” while adding, “We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
If Baldwin is convicted, though, what could be the possible punishment? In New Mexico, involuntary manslaughter covers manslaughter cases where no malice is intended. As well, the charge counts as a fourth-degree felony. If convicted, a defendant would ordinarily be on the hook for up to 18 months in prison and a possible $5,000 fine. However and as NBC News points out, this case could carry a “firearm enhancement” which could beef up the sentence to a mandatory five years. Given that Baldwin’s attorney resolves to fight this charge, it seems unlikely that a plea deal is in the cards.
The Rust armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, will also be charged with involuntary manslaughter in this case. Via PEOPLE, her attorneys declared, “[S]he did not commit involuntary manslaughter…. We intend to bring the full truth to light and believe Hannah will be exonerated of wrongdoing by a jury.”