It was one year ago Monday that a bullet fired from a gun being handled by actor Alec Baldwin on the New Mexico set of the film “Rust” wounded two people and killed one, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The last person who should be publicly commemorating the moment is Baldwin, whose behavior in the aftermath of the shooting has been anything but exemplary.
However, this is Alec Baldwin, so of course that’s what he did.
On Instagram, Baldwin tweeted Hutchins’ picture, along with the caption, “One year ago today…”
You can imagine the comments this drew.
“Isn’t this the woman you killed?” one person asked.
“So [you] shot her then exploit her,” another said.
“One year later, somebody should be in jail!” a third opined.
It must be noted neither Baldwin nor anyone else has been charged with a crime in the “Rust” shooting.
This also comes just weeks after both Baldwin and the movie’s production company reached a settlement with Halyna Hutchins’ estate, according to Hollywood publication Deadline.
As a result of the settlement, the movie will resume filming in January with the late cinematographer’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, as executive producer.
“We are pleased to announce today the settlement of the civil case filed on behalf of the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins,” Baldwin said on Instagram at the time.
“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son,” he said. “We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.”
However, authorities say the settlement in the matter won’t affect criminal charges, Deadline reported.
“The proposed settlement announced today in Matthew Hutchins’ wrongful death case against Rust movie producers, including Alec Baldwin, in the death of Halyna Hutchins will have no impact on District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis’ ongoing investigation or her ultimate decision whether to file criminal charges in the case,” said Heather Brewer of the Office of the First Judicial District Attorney in Santa Fe.
“While civil suits are settled privately and often involve financial awards, criminal cases deal only in facts,” Brewer said.
Does Baldwin’s post come off as tone-deaf?
“If the facts and evidence warrant criminal charges under New Mexico law then charges will be brought. No one is above the law.”
Carmack-Altweis, meanwhile, sent a letter to the New Mexico Board of Finance requesting $635,000 to be used in prosecuting up to four people with homicide charges, noting in the letter that “one of the possible defendants is well known movie actor Alec Baldwin,” Deadline reported.
The final report from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office on the shooting is expected any time now.
Despite all this, Baldwin has washed his hands of Hutchins’ death. The actor has insisted in interviews that his finger didn’t pull the trigger of the prop gun that was improperly loaded with live ammunition, claiming the weapon fired on its own accord.
“The trigger wasn’t pulled, I didn’t pull the trigger,” Baldwin insisted in an interview with ABC News last year.
Video released in April proved that his finger was on the trigger as he was shooting the ultimately fatal scene, however — bad gun safety at best, and potential proof that Baldwin’s statement was a lie.
Meanwhile, several members of the camera crew walked off the “Rust” set just before the shooting because of appalling conditions, according to Deadline.
“We cited everything from lack of payment for three weeks, taking our hotels away despite asking for them in our deals, lack of Covid safety, and on top of that, poor gun safety! Poor on-set safety period!” a crew member said on a Facebook page regarding the walkout.
And after the walkout? “They brought in four non-union guys to replace us and tried calling the cops on us,” he said.
In short, Alec Baldwin is the last person who should use the one-year anniversary of the tragedy to flaunt his grief on social media.
But this is Alec Baldwin, a man who cannot be disabused of shame no matter how grave the ignominy is.
