Alec Baldwin was indicted yet again Friday on charges of involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of “Rust.”
Baldwin, who was both starring in and producing the Western at the time of October 2021 incident, was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023. Those charges were dropped three months later as his attorneys argued his gun wasn’t working properly when it went off on a ranch near Santa Fe, firing a live round into the 42-year-old’s chest.
Since then, prosecutors have vowed to hold the actor accountable for Hutchins’ death. Just days before the two-year anniversary of the shooting, prosecutors announced their intention to bring the case against Baldwin to a New Mexico grand jury.
The new charges on Friday followed the findings of a forensics report, commissioned by the prosecution, which countered Baldwin’s claim that he did not pull the trigger. The indictment lists two counts of involuntary manslaughter against the 65-year-old actor — one involving negligent use of a firearm, and another accusation of “total disregard or indifference for the safety of others,” which is a felony.
The two separate counts come after the grand jury agreed there was enough evidence for Baldwin to be prosecuted on either charge, though he can only be convicted of one, according to the New York Times.
Gloria Allred, the attorney representing Hutchins’ parents, sister and co-workers, reacted to Friday’s indictment in a statement shared with the Daily News.
“Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed on Oct. 21, 2021,” Allred said. “They continue to seek the truth in our civil lawsuit for them and they also would like there to be accountability in the criminal justice system. “We are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if [Baldwin] should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna.”
If found guilty, Baldwin could face up to 18 months behind bars in New Mexico.
But the Oscar nominee is not the only person who has been charged in the shooting, which also wounded director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who, as the film’s armorer, was in charge of weapons and ammunition on set — will stand trial next month for involuntary manslaughter.
An investigation following the shooting found five more live rounds on the “Rust” set, where live ammo had been banned. How they made it onto the set is still under investigation.
Prosecutors have accused Gutierrez-Reed of being hungover when she loaded the gun handled by Baldwin, and of tampering with evidence after she allegedly attempted to conceal a bag of cocaine after an interview with police. She has pleaded not guilty.
The film’s assistant director, Dave Halls, meanwhile pleaded no contest last March to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. His plea agreement helped him to avoid prison time, and he instead received six months of probation.
Nearly a year after Hutchins’ death, her widower, Matthew Hutchins, reached an agreement with the film’s production, which allowed it to resume as a tribute to his late wife — with him as executive producer. “Rust” finally wrapped filming in May of last year, which Baldwin called “nothing less than a miracle.”
