Alec Baldwin Reindicted in Cinematographer’s On-Set Death Case
In a recent development, Alec Baldwin has been reindicted by a grand jury for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting on the set of “Rust.” This comes after initial charges against the actor were dismissed in April.
The legal documents, submitted to a Santa Fe, New Mexico court on Friday, allege Baldwin’s responsibility in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The tragic incident occurred during a rehearsal for the Western movie in 2021, when a prop gun held by Baldwin unexpectedly discharged, resulting in Hutchins’ death and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin faces two separate involuntary manslaughter charges. The first count accuses him of negligent handling of the prop gun. The second, an alternative charge, alleges that Baldwin caused Hutchins’s death through “total disregard or indifference for the safety of others.”
Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis have yet to comment on the indictment.
In response, Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, stated, “We look forward to our day in court.”
Initially, Baldwin and “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged last year with involuntary manslaughter. These charges, which could have led to a five-year prison sentence for Baldwin, were later dropped as prosecutors required additional time for investigation.
The reasons behind the grand jury’s decision to indict Baldwin remain unclear, as does the evidence they reviewed. However, last year’s forensic analysis of the prop gun indicated that Baldwin must have pulled the trigger, challenging his assertion that the gun fired on its own.
