Alec Baldwin was unable to control his emotions on the set of “Rust” — to the point it caused “safety compromises” in the weeks before he fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, prosecutors alleged in a court filing Monday.
The filing was in response to the actor’s attempt to have the involuntary manslaughter charge against him tossed out in New Mexico, where he is scheduled to go on trial on July 10.
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey claimed that Baldwin would scream and curse at crew members and himself on the set of the Western — sometimes for no particular reason.
“To watch Mr. Baldwin’s conduct on the set of ‘Rust’ is to witness a man who has absolutely no control of his own emotions and absolutely no concern for how his conduct affects those around him,” Morrissey wrote, according to Variety.
“Witnesses have testified that it was this exact conduct that contributed to safety compromises on set.”
Baldwin demanded that the crew and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, “work faster,” according to the filing, CNN reported.
Gutierrez-Reed, 26, who was in charge of gun safety on the set, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a separate trial last month and is facing up to 18 months in prison.
As a result of his “relentless” behavior and rushing crew members on set, prosecutors said Baldwin “routinely compromised safety.”
“The combination of Hannah Gutierrez’s negligence and inexperience and Alec Baldwin’s complete lack of concern for the safety of those around him would prove deadly for Halyna Hutchins,” the filing reads.
Hutchins died when the reproduction Colt .45 revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with fired a live round. Director Joel Souza was also struck and wounded.
After the shooting, Baldwin created a false narrative about what had occurred, Morrissey wrote in the filing, including claiming that he did not pull the trigger — which the prosecutor called “absurd on its face,” Variety reported.
She noted he did not make the claim when he met with police but a month later in a TV interview. Baldwin’s claim also contradicts the FBI’s ruling that the revolver could not have fired without the trigger being pulled.
“Every time Mr. Baldwin spoke, a different version of events emerged from his mouth, and his later statements contradicted his previous statements,” the prosecutor said.
Morrisey accused the “Beetlejuice” star’s defense team of “countless lies and manipulation” and has subjected her and co-counsel Jason Lewis to personal attacks.
Morrissey dropped felony charges against Baldwin last April and instead offered him a misdemeanor plea deal in the fall before ultimately rescinding the offer and indicting him on a felony manslaughter charge, which could land Baldwin behind bars for 18 months.
She wrote in Monday’s filing that she “naively agreed” to meet with Baldwin’s lawyers once she was appointed to the case.
In the meeting, defense attorney Lukas Nikas told the prosecution that the defense was prepared to call in a slew of famous actors like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren to testify for Baldwin. The lawyer also did a PowerPoint presentation for Morrisey outlining why charges should be dropped, the filing says.
The prosecution agreed to drop felony charges, but has since determined that much of the defense presentation was either false or misleading. Baldwin’s team successfully delayed the case, Morrissey wrote.
After experts confirmed the gun could not have been fired without someone pulling the trigger, prosecutors decided to offer him a misdemeanor deal similar to that of director David Halls, who pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm last year and served no jail time.
Baldwin had planned to accept the deal while launching a media blitz declaring his innocence.
Morrisey said she also learned the actor was producing a documentary about Hutchins and was “actively pressuring material witnesses in the case” to sit down for interviews.
“It was at this point that the plea offer was rescinded,” she wrote.
