Actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted by a grand jury for involuntary manslaughter stemming from the 2021 shooting on the set of the movie ‘Rust’ that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Special prosecutors presented the case to the grand jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, following new analysis of the gun involved in the shooting. Two witnesses from the movie crew testified, including one who was present when the shot was fired and another who had left the set due to safety concerns the day before the incident.
The charge against Baldwin had been previously dismissed after prosecutors learned that the gun may have been modified and malfunctioned. However, they decided to reconsider the charge after receiving new analysis of the firearm. Baldwin, who is also a co-producer of the film, claims that he did not pull the trigger, but rather, pulled back the hammer before the gun fired.
The new analysis relied on experts in ballistics and forensic testing, using replacement parts to reconstruct the gun after it was damaged during FBI testing. The analysis concluded that the trigger had to be pulled in order for the gun to discharge, which is consistent with previous findings from the FBI test. The weapons supervisor on set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering, and her trial is set to begin in February.
Meanwhile, filming of ‘Rust’ resumed in Montana under an agreement with Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, who is now an executive producer of the movie.