SAG-AFTRA puts support behind Alec Baldwin following manslaughter charge in ‘Rust’ movie shooting

Alec Baldwin is getting support from Hollywood.

Baldwin was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter by a New Mexico grand jury on Jan. 19 in connection with the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the “Rust” film set in 2021.

On Thursday, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing over 150,000 Hollywood actors, said in a statement that it’s not an actor’s job to inspect firearms on set.

“To the extent that the charges filed on January 19 are based on an accusation of negligent use of a firearm predicated on this or any actor having a duty to inspect a firearm as part of its use, that is an incorrect assessment of the actual duties of an actor on set,” it said.

It added, “An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert. Firearms are provided for use on set under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.”

Attorneys for Baldwin filed a request for a speedy trial Wednesday.

“Mr. Baldwin is entitled to a fair and speedy disposition of the charges to minimize public vilification and suspicion and to avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after lengthy delays in a prosecution,” the filing says.

Baldwin’s indictment was announced after a New Mexico grand jury heard evidence presented by special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis. 

“We look forward to our day in court,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, said in a statement at the time.

If he is convicted, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison. A trial date hasn’t been set.

“We are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if he should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna,” Gloria Allred, the lawyer for Hutchins’ family, said after the announcement.

In November, NBC News exclusively obtained several videos that showed Baldwin handling at least one prop gun and interacting with crew members while he was filming scenes for “Rust.” The five videos show Baldwin preparing for scenes, firing the guns and acting in character. In two of them, he tries to rearrange crew members after having expressed concerns about their safety. The five videos total about seven minutes. The crew was shooting for two weeks before production was shut down.

In October, two sources said that Baldwin and the special prosecutors had discussed his taking a plea deal but that it was rescinded in the days before their announcement to bring the case before a grand jury.

The same New Mexico prosecutors dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin in April.

Baldwin has maintained in interviews with ABC News and CNN that he didn’t pull the trigger and that the gun had been declared “cold,” with no live ammunition, by assistant director Dave Halls. Halls pleaded no contest in March to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon and was sentenced to serve six months of unsupervised probation.

“I feel that someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me,” Baldwin said in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in December 2021. 

The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged last year with involuntary manslaughter, and her trial is set to begin Feb. 21. She has pleaded not guilty.