• Alec Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film 'Rust', which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. AP
    Alec Baldwin outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico, after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film 'Rust', which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. AP
  • A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the car park outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. AP
    A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the car park outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. AP
  • The entrance to the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    The entrance to the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • The entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch used for film shoots. AP
    The entrance to the Bonanza Creek Ranch used for film shoots. AP
  • A vehicle from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office exiting the set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    A vehicle from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office exiting the set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • Media crews outside the gate of the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
    Media crews outside the gate of the film set of 'Rust'. Reuters
  • Director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust'. AP
    Director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust'. AP
  • Journalists outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico. AP
    Journalists outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico. AP
  • Security guards block the Bonanza Creek Ranch. AP
    Security guards block the Bonanza Creek Ranch. AP
  • The Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed, one day after the incident. Photo: Roberto E Rosales / Albuquerque Journal
    The Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed, one day after the incident. Photo: Roberto E Rosales / Albuquerque Journal
  • A sign points to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe. AFP
    A sign points to the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe. AFP
  • A security guard speaks with a compliance officer from the State of New Mexico at the Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. AFP
    A security guard speaks with a compliance officer from the State of New Mexico at the Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. AFP
  • Security guards at the entrance of the 'Rust' film set. AP
    Security guards at the entrance of the 'Rust' film set. AP
  • A vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held in the honour of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. AP
    A vigil in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held in the honour of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. AP
  • A candle bearing Halyna Hutchins's name is placed among others during a vigil in her honour. AP
    A candle bearing Halyna Hutchins's name is placed among others during a vigil in her honour. AP
  • A large crowd of movie industry workers and New Mexico residents attend the candlelight vigil. AP
    A large crowd of movie industry workers and New Mexico residents attend the candlelight vigil. AP
  • New Mexico residents at the vigil. AP
    New Mexico residents at the vigil. AP
  • Members of the local film community mourn the loss of Halyna Hutchins. Reuters
    Members of the local film community mourn the loss of Halyna Hutchins. Reuters
  • Film industry worker Jake Extine pays his respects. AP
    Film industry worker Jake Extine pays his respects. AP
  • A sign calling for workplace safety at the vigil. Reuters
    A sign calling for workplace safety at the vigil. Reuters
  • People light candles to honour Halyna Hutchins. AP
    People light candles to honour Halyna Hutchins. AP

Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty over fatal Rust film set shooting


  • English
  • Arabic

Actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of Western Rust in 2021.

Baldwin, 64, made the plea on Thursday while waiving a court appearance on Friday. It was set to be his first in the case on how live ammunition became mixed with dummy rounds on the Santa Fe film set and then went undetected.

Last month, New Mexico's first judicial district attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies charged Baldwin and the movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for alleged "reckless" disregard for safety prior to Hutchins' death.

Prosecutors last week downgraded charges against Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin, reducing the possible prison time for the actor who fired the live round that killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza while rehearsing a scene in front of the camera.

An image of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is displayed at a vigil in her honour in 2021. Reuters
An image of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is displayed at a vigil in her honour in 2021. Reuters

Baldwin's defence team argued that he had been charged retroactively with a New Mexico firearms law that was passed after the shooting took place on October 21, 2021.

The actor has said he is not responsible for Hutchins' death, arguing that Gutierrez-Reed failed to check rounds she loaded into his revolver and assistant director Dave Halls falsely told him it was a "cold gun" — an industry term meaning it was unloaded or contained only dummy rounds.

Gutierrez-Reed will make a first court appearance on Friday via video link, her lawyer Jason Bowles said.

She has blamed the shooting on potential sabotage, Baldwin's lack of firearms training and a failure by Halls and Baldwin to call her on to the set for extra firearm checks.

An aerial shot of the set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico. AP
An aerial shot of the set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico. AP

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, the lead investigator on the case, and prosecutors have yet to present evidence on the source of six live long Colt .45-caliber rounds found on the set, including the bullet that killed Hutchins.

Halls pleaded not guilty in a Thursday court filing in which he also waived his first court appearance on Friday. He has entered a plea deal for misdemeanor charges and has been called as a witness by prosecutors should the case reach trial.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed now face a maximum of 18 months in prison if convicted. Before the prosecutor dropped the alternative charge they risked a minimum of five years in jail.

Documents filed on Thursday show Baldwin is out on bail ahead of any future trial, with several conditions.

These include that he will not drink alcohol, and that he will not possess firearms or dangerous weapons.

He is also barred from having any contact with witnesses in the case, save from "in connection with completing the Rust movie."

Producers announced last year that the project would be restarted, with all principal players resuming their roles.

Work on Rust was halted with Hutchins' death. The movie's production company said filming is expected to resume this spring, without the use of real weapons or ammunition.

Hutchins’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, will be the film’s new executive producer, fulfilling the terms of a legal settlement to a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and other Rust producers.

A related documentary is planned that will detail the completion of the film and the life of Hutchins.

— Additional reporting by Reuters, AP and AFP

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Results

Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)

Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)

Five expert hiking tips
    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars

Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.

Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.

After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.

Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.

It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.

 

MATCH INFO

Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)

Updated: February 24, 2023, 9:49 AM