Alec Baldwin sued by Santa Fe prosecutors for trying to ‘distract’ attention from ‘remaining’ fatal shootings with ‘freaky lawyers’ and new filings – update

UPDATE, 2:02 p.m.: Alec Baldwin and his “nice lawyers” may want to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor rust Armor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for the fatal shooting of cameraman Halyna Hutchins. However, the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office today called out the high-profile defendant for attempting to “commit to gross negligence and total disregard for road safety.” rust Film set that led to the death of Halyna Hutchins.”

After a motion filed Friday by Baldwin’s New York-based attorneys Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New Mexico District Court to overturn the Firearms Improvement Act and the maximum sentence of five years behind bars, the local official Judge Mary Carmack-Altwies wasted little time informing the indie western star/producer.

“Another day, another motion by Alec Baldwin and his lawyers to call attention to the gross negligence and complete disregard for safety at the rust Film set that led to the death of Halyna Hutchins,” DA spokeswoman Heather Brewer told Deadline this afternoon.

“In accordance with good legal practice, the District Attorney and Special Prosecutor will review all requests, including those directed to the media, before they are served on the District Attorney,” Brewer added of the law, which takes effect statewide. May 2022 of enchantment. , a few months after the October 2021 murder of Hutchins and the wounding of director Joel Souza by an 1880s cotton gun held by Baldwin. “However, the focus of prosecutors and the Special Counsel will always be to ensure that justice is done and that everyone – even celebrities with beautiful lawyers – is held accountable before the law.”

Along with an effort to get special counsel Andrea Reeb off the case because of her dual role as a GOP state legislator, Baldwin’s latest move is likely to be addressed during the virtual first hearing on the case. This meeting is currently scheduled for February 24th.

Deadline contacted the Baldwin Legal Department for a response to the district attorney’s testimony. If we hear from them, we’ll update this post.

EARLY 10:59 AM: Facing a tough time, Alec Baldwin wants a New Mexico judge to drop charges that could see him sentenced to up to five years in the fatal 2021 shooting. rust Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

“Plaintiffs committed an unconstitutional and fundamental error of law in this case by charging Mr. Baldwin under a statute that did not exist at the time of the accident,” the multiple Emmy Award-winning actor’s defense team stated in ‘ A filing with Enchantment Today. “So it appears that the government intended to impeach the current version of the Weapons Improvement Act, which did not come into force until May 18, 2022, seven months after the accident,” the filing continued on Friday (read it here) .

After an extensive investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office late last year, Baldwin and rust Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was formally charged Jan. 31 by Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the Oct. 21, 2021, shooting of Hutchins at Bonanza Creek Ranch.

When those charges were first announced on Jan. 19, Baldwin’s legal team called the move a “gruesome miscarriage of justice” and vowed to “fight these charges and we will win.”

Under New Mexico law, the first charge carries a lesser degree than a fourth-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. The second charge, involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, is also a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. However, the second charge in question also includes a firearms enhancement, which, if convicted, will result in a mandatory five years in state prison.

“Consequently, this improvement should not be discounted,” the document adds, in an opinion that has divided legal experts. “Applying the current version of the law would be retroactively unconstitutional and the government has no legal basis to charge Mr Baldwin with the version of the law that was in effect at the time of the accident.”

Needless to say, the DA somehow sees it differently.

“The District Attorney and Special Counsel are actively reviewing all applicable laws to ensure they have the strongest case to secure justice for Halyna Hutchins,” spokeswoman Heather Brewer said earlier this week when the case came before the court. Brewer told Deadline at the time that no changes had been made to the charges. Today, the OM did not respond to a request for comment on Baldwin’s new application.

Lange denied, against FBI evidence and more, that he pulled the trigger of the 1880s blank pistol that killed and wounded Hutchins rust Director Joel Souza, Baldwin and his New York-based attorneys Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan already began this week to bring special prosecutor Andrea Reeb to the fringes of justice because he is also a GOP state legislator. After a legal enhancement of status discussion leaked a few days ago, today’s filing adds just one more item to the agenda for the upcoming February 24 first hearing in the criminal case.

Aside from the special prosecutor and the expansion disputes, it’s been a busy week rust Tragedy, law and optics.

Amid a flurry of civil lawsuits previously filed in California and New Mexico over the fatal shooting of Hutchins, Gloria Allred yesterday filed a lawsuit against Baldwin on behalf of the cameraman’s Ukraine-based relatives, Olga Solovey, Anatoly Androsvych and Svetlana Zemko. his management company Cavalry Media and the producers of the western film. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages “against each defendant.”

“There was no handshake from Mr Baldwin, no apology,” Allred said yesterday. “We want accountability and justice for them.”

Baldwin and the rust Producers reached a settlement with Hutchin’s widower husband Matthew Hutchins last October that dropped his wrongful death lawsuit and an EP title. rust Filmed when production resumes. However, there is no word on when the film will return to production after filming in California and Nevada, especially with criminal charges filed against Baldwin in New Mexico. “Matt Hutchins is pursuing claims on his own behalf and on behalf of Andros,” attorney Brian J. Panish told Deadline Feb. 9 on behalf of his client. “We do not believe that other family members have a claim under New Mexico or California law. Not Mr. To date, Hutchins or his attorneys have not been informed of the family’s intention to file a lawsuit.”

From network interviews to law enforcement meetings, Oscar-nominated Baldwin claimed that he not only never pulled the trigger during a movie rust Investigation, but that he was informed was a “cold weapon” from the 1st^St Assistant director Dave Halls minutes before filming. As one of dozens of potential witnesses against Baldwin and Reed, Halls entered into a secret plea deal with the New Mexico attorney’s office late last year.