Actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on charges connected to the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the movie “Rust,” new court documents show.
The first involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin is “negligent use of a firearm” and the second as involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection, which is detailed as “an act committed with the total disregard or indifference to the safety of others.”
Both are fourth degree felonies. And Baldwin’s attorney has previously insisted his client is not guilty. Involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped against Baldwin last year, with prosecutors saying that they could not “proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form” due to “new facts” in the case.
RUST Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza injured when a gun held by Baldwin fired a live round during a scene rehearsal on the set of the Western. Baldwin denied pulling the trigger on the weapon. And The initial decision to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin came in April of last year. However, prosecutors said the case could be re-filed at a later date.
Then in October, prosecutors said that “additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins” and went on to say that a grand jury would decide on recharging the actor. And now that has happened.
The young Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed also faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the case. And is slated for trial in February.
Attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Hutchins’ family in a civil lawsuit against Baldwin, responded to Friday’s development…
“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,” Allred said. “We are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if he should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna.”