Alec Baldwin Indicted In Rust Shooting, At Last
Alec Baldwin has just been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter for the on-set death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin was first charged in January 2023 for the case, but the charges were subsequently dropped when Baldwin’s lawyers questioned the functionality of the gun. The tragic incident happened in October 2021, when a gun Baldwin was holding went off and struck director Joel Souza and Hutchins, injuring Souza and eventually leading to Hutchins’ death.
If Alec Baldwin is convicted on the latest charge of involuntary manslaughter, he could face up to 18 months in prison. Throughout this process, Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger on the Colt .45 he was holding. Baldwin’s lawyers have stated they “look forward to our day in court” in an official response to the latest indictment.
Alec Baldwin’s statement about not pulling the trigger has been called into question when two special prosecutors had the gun sent in for forensic testing. The experts reconstructed the gun and came to the conclusion that only a pull of the trigger could have caused the gun to discharge. The report stated, “Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings, and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.”
Alec Baldwin isn’t the only one facing trial for the death of Halyna Hutchins, as the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, also has a trial date set for February 21. She faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Baldwin’s gun was mistakenly loaded with a live bullet despite the fact that it was only meant to contain dummy bullets.
After Hutchins’ death, her widower, Matthew Hutchins, filed a wrongful death lawsuit, which reached a settlement in October 2022. The settlement agreement included insurance funds and a percentage of the film’s profits being set aside for Matthew and Halyna’s son. While the financial details of the deal were not released, Matthew did act as an executive producer on the film when it began shooting again.
Matthew Hutchins originally said he didn’t blame Alec Baldwin for the incident. However, his attorney supported the charges against Baldwin for manslaughter months later. Hutchins’ attorney said, “We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”
Alec Baldwin, who is a producer on Rust, was also investigated for management lapses that led to the safety issues on set. The New Mexico division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration came to the conclusion that Baldwin should not be held responsible for the lack of oversight. They also determined Baldwin was not in a position of management authority.
Despite the tragedy that happened on the film, Rust has since completed filming. The film is currently waiting for distribution and stars Jensen Ackles, Patrick Scott McDermott, Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, and Baldwin. We’ll keep you updated on Alec Baldwin’s impending trial and other news related to Rust.
Source: New York Times
