A New Mexico grand jury has just charged Hollywood star Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie “Rust.”
The charge comes more than two years after accidentally shooting Hutchins.
Hutchins and Director Joel Souza were both shot by Baldwin during the filming of the western film.
The indictment was returned on Friday and hits Baldwin with a new charge of involuntary manslaughter on the grounds of negligent use of a firearm and disregard for others’ safety.
Baldwin now faces up to 18 months in prison, if convicted.
Previous charges, filed by New Mexico prosecutors, were dismissed in April last year.
In a statement today, Baldwin’s attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas said: “We look forward to our day in court.”
The actor has always maintained that he followed gun safety laws despite evidence that he broke the number one rule by pointing the firearm at someone.
He claims that the fault lies with the armorer or crew who handed him a gun loaded with a live round.
He insists he confirmed that the gun was “cold” when he took it to rehearse the scene in question.
Baldwin was practicing drawing the prop weapon from his holster when he claims it fired spontaneously.
He has always been adamant that he did not pull the trigger.
But a new report by Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona states that the trigger “had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.”
The long-drawn-out legal fiasco began with Hutchins’ death in October 2021.
Baldwin launched a media tour, insisting it was a tragic accident and not a killing he was responsible for.
He was initially charged in January 2023 by First Judicial District Attorney of New Mexico Mary Carmack-Altwies.
The prosecutor launched her own media tour soon after filing charges.
Baldwin’s lawyers tried to argue that Carmack-Altwies’ enthusiasm for justice was just a fame-hungry effort to boost her own career.
After hashing it out with his team in the court of public opinion, Carmack-Altwies stepped down from the case and a special prosecutor was appointed to take over.
In April last year, that team opted to drop the charges, and Baldwin, who had already settled a wrongful death lawsuit launched by Hutchins’ family, breathed a sigh of relief.
Now, the Hollywood star will have an uphill battle to keep himself out of prison.
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