Charging Alec Baldwin over the deadly 'Rust' shooting is a 'terrible miscarriage of justice,' his lawyer says

• Alec Baldwin's lawyer slammed prosecutors' decision to charge the star over the "Rust" shooting.
• The attorney called the expected charges against Baldwin "a terrible miscarriage of justice."

Alec Baldwin's lawyer slammed a New Mexico district attorney's decision to charge the star with manslaughter over the fatal 2021 "Rust" shooting, calling it "a terrible miscarriage of justice."

In a statement to Insider on Thursday, attorney Luke Nikas said: "Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun — or anywhere on the movie set."

Nikas continued, "We will fight these charges, and we will win."

Santa Fe prosecutors announced earlier Thursday that Baldwin will face two counts of involuntary manslaughter for fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the indie Western flick on October 21, 2021.

"This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins' tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice," said Nikas who added that Baldwin "relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds."

The movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was in charge of weapons on the movie set, is also expected to be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting.

The flick's assistant director, Dave Halls, has signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

The criminal charges in the case will be formally filed before the end of the month, according to Santa Fe County District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.

Baldwin, who was producing and starring in "Rust," fatally shot 42-year-old Hutchins during a rehearsal inside a church building on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set.

A bullet from the gun struck Hutchins, a married mother of one, mortally wounding her. The movie's director, Joel Souza, was also injured by the bullet.

Baldwin has called the shooting a "tragic accident" and said that he never pulled the trigger of the gun that fired and resulted in the death of Hutchins.