Alec Baldwin has once again been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter for his alleged role in a shooting that took place on the set of the Western film Rust.
In January 2023, Baldwin was initially charged in the ongoing case, but charges were dropped later that year after Baldwin’s team claimed that Baldwin’s gun wasn’t functioning properly when it fired. Now, however, prosecutors are once again looking to hold Baldwin partially responsible for an on-set incident that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
“We look forward to our day in court,” said Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, in a statement on Friday (via Variety).
In October 2021, the crew on the film were preparing to film a scene with Baldwin near Santa Fe, New Mexico when an improperly checked prop gun discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin claims he never fired the gun that went off
At the crux of Baldwin’s defense is his denial of ever pulling the trigger on the gun, insisting that it went off when he pulled it out of its holster. Prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis sent the gun in for further forensic testing last summer, and after reconstructing the gun, conclusions came back that the gun had to have been fired via the trigger.
“This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by the pull or rearward depression of the trigger,” the report concluded (via Variety). “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.”
Late last year, both prosecutors said that “additional facts” had come to light that would point to Baldwin being partially culpable in the matter, which led to this new indictment.
Outside of Baldwin, Rust’s former armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is set to go on trial next month on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Gutierrez-Reed allegedly improperly loaded the prop gun on set with live rounds.
Hutchins’ widower, Matthew, has said that he didn’t blame Baldwin for what happened, but did support initial charges against him due to his search for justice in the matter.
