Alec Baldwin indicted for involuntary manslaughter in 'Rust' shooting
Actor-producer Alec Baldwin faces a fresh count of involuntary manslaughter in the tragic on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of Rust in October 2021. Baldwin—Rust's lead actor and co-producer—was rehearsing with a prop gun when it discharged, fatally injuring Hutchins (42) and wounding director Joel Souza. Initially charged in January 2023, the charges against him were dropped in April due to questions about the firearm's functioning. If convicted, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison.
Why does this story matter?
Baldwin has repeatedly insisted he only pulled the hammer of the pistol, not the trigger, on the film set. Special prosecutors initially dropped an involuntary manslaughter charge in April 2023 due to potential gun modifications. However, a new analysis has now resurrected the charges. In October 2022, Baldwin also reached a civil settlement with Hutchins's husband, Matthew Hutchins, now an executive producer on the film. This settlement, however, doesn't impact the ongoing criminal case.
What is involuntary manslaughter?
Involuntary manslaughter stands apart from other forms of homicide as an unintentional killing resulting from either recklessness or criminal negligence. Categorized as the least severe form of homicide, it carries potential consequences of up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
New forensic analysis led to indictment
Forensic experts Lucien and Michael Haag conducted further testing on the gun after special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis requested it. The Haags reconstructed the broken gun and concluded that it could only have been fired by pulling the trigger. Their report stated, "Although Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings, and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."
Other 'Rust' crew members facing charges
Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film's armorer, is scheduled for trial on February 21 on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Reportedly, Gutierrez Reed accidentally loaded a live bullet into Baldwin's gun instead of a dummy round. It is still unclear how live rounds got mixed with dummy rounds on set. David Halls, the first assistant director, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor gun charge last March and received six months of unsupervised probation.
More about civil lawsuits and film completion
Several civil lawsuits against Baldwin and Rust producers have been paused while prosecutors present charges to a grand jury. Plaintiffs include film crew members. Moreover, Rust Movie Productions has reportedly paid a $100,000 fine to state workplace safety regulators after a scathing report of failures violating standard industry protocols. The filming of Rust has since been completed with additional shooting in Montana and is now awaiting distribution.
