SANTA FE, N.M. – Alec Baldwin, a prominent actor, has been indicted by a grand jury on an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection with a fatal shooting on a New Mexico movie set in 2021. The case against Baldwin was revived after special prosecutors presented new evidence to the grand jury. The actor’s legal team has not yet commented on the indictment.
The fatal incident occurred during a rehearsal for the movie “Rust,” where Baldwin was the lead actor and co-producer. Baldwin was handling a gun and pointing it at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when it discharged, killing her and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has claimed that he pulled back the hammer but did not pull the trigger.
The grand jury indictment follows an earlier dismissal of the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin last April. At the time, prosecutors were informed that the gun used in the shooting may have been modified and malfunctioned. However, they reevaluated the case after receiving a new analysis of the gun that indicated the trigger had been pulled. The analysis was conducted by experts in ballistics and forensic testing.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the movie set, has already pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. Her trial is scheduled to begin in February. David Halls, the assistant director and safety coordinator, has pleaded no contest to unsafe handling of a firearm.
The shooting on the movie set prompted a series of civil lawsuits, including wrongful death claims by Hutchins’ family. The lawsuits allege that the defendants failed to comply with safety standards. Rust Movie Productions, the company behind the film, has paid a $100,000 fine to workplace safety regulators due to violations of industry protocols.
Despite the tragedy, filming for “Rust” resumed in Montana last year with the consent of Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, who is now an executive producer of the film. The case against Baldwin will now proceed to trial, as the actor faces legal consequences for his involvement in the fatal shooting.