- Alec Baldwin indicted by a grand jury on involuntary manslaughter charge related to Halyna Hutchins’ shooting during Rust rehearsals.
- Details about the courtroom proceedings remain unknown due to secrecy.
- Baldwin still claims he did not pull the trigger, despite reports suggesting the contrary.
Alec Baldwin has been indicted on an involuntary manslaughter charge by a grand jury for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust during rehearsals. Back in October, it was discussed that New Mexico prosecutors planned to re-charge Baldwin in connection to the incident, which happened in 2021.
Alec Baldwin was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, but the charge was later dropped after noting that the weapon involved had been modified. This had provided enough reasonable doubt about whether the revolver was working properly when the shooting occurred. However, during today’s proceedings, special prosecutors presented their case to the jury over a day and a half. The hearing was shrouded in secrecy, and there is little known about what transpired in court since legal teams on both sides have not yet spoken out.
Halyna Hutchins was 42 years old when she died after being hit by a live round on the set of Rust, which was filming near Santa Fe, New Mexico. After the original charges against Baldwin were dropped, the prosecution team received additional analysis of the firearm, which concluded that the gun could only have gone off if Baldwin had pulled or depressed the trigger. Despite the gun being broken by the FBI during tests, a reconstructed version was used to complete the testing, providing enough evidence for the case to continue.
Baldwin has consistently maintained in interviews that he did not pull the trigger. In an ABC News interview back in December 2021, he stated, “I feel that someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”
When the involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped, prosecutors noted that the revolver could have been modified prior to the shooting. However, a special prosecutors’ gun analysis report released in August stated that the weapon had not been altered. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was charged with involuntary manslaughter in January. Her trial has been pushed back to February 2024, and her attorney has previously stated that she will enter a plea of not guilty.
In June, Halyna Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, settled a wrongful death suit with Baldwin and Rust producers. The movie resumed filming in the spring, with Matthew Hutchins serving as an executive producer. After the settlement, he said, “All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
Rust has not yet been given a release date.