What is involuntary manslaughter, as Alec Baldwin is charged over cinematographer’s death?

After a cinematographer was fatally shot on the set of the Western film Rust in 2021, prosecutors have chosen to charge the actor with the gun, Alec Baldwin, and the movie's

armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter each. Baldwin was holding a prop gun when a live round of ammunition shot from the gun struck and

killed Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin insists he did not pull the trigger. The actor has also claimed that he was unaware that the gun he shot during a practice session had live

ammunition. Here is all the information you need to know about the charges.What does involuntary manslaughter mean? Involuntary manslaughter is the crime of killing

another human being unlawfully but unintentionally. New Mexico, where the shot was fired, state law classifies involuntary manslaughter as a fourth-degree felony. The

law reads: “Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which

might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.” In order for a jury to choose which specific count might be more appropriate, Baldwin

and Gutierrez-Reed are each charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. According to the prosecution, a conviction in either situation carries a penalty of up to

$5,000 in fines and 18 months in jail. One definition, however, would include an additional required penalty because a handgun was involved. According to the prosecution,

the offence might then result in a mandatory five-year prison sentence.