A lawyer for Alec Baldwin called for a district attorney review of the “Rust” shooting “without unfounded speculation and innuendo” by the media following comments that the actor could be charged.
Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said this month in an emergency funding request for her investigation that four defendants could be charged, including Baldwin, according to documents obtained by Deadline.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died last October after being shot by a firearm handled by Baldwin on the Western movie’s set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico.
“Some media reports today draw false conclusions based on a letter from the Santa Fe Dist. Attorney,” Baldwin lawyer Luke Nikas said Monday in a statement to People.
“The DA has made clear that she has not received the sheriff’s report or made any decisions about who, if anyone, might be charged in this case.”
Nikas said he was recently told that officials hadn’t yet “deliberated about their charging decision” or reviewed the file.
“It is irresponsible to report otherwise,” Nikas said, according to People. “The DA’s office must be given the space to review this matter without unfounded speculation and innuendo.”
Baldwin has said he was told the firearm was cold, indicating it wasn’t loaded with live ammunition. He has also claimed he never pulled the trigger.
“Rust” director Joel Souza was wounded as well when the firearm went off. Carmack-Altwies said in her funding request that four separate trials could come from the incident.
Last month, the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico determined the shooting to be accidental, saying there’s “no compelling demonstration” that someone intentionally loaded the gun with live ammunition.
Nikas said the medical investigator’s finding should be considered proof Baldwin shouldn’t be charged.
“This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have found that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and believed the gun was safe,” the lawyer said at the time.
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