A New Mexico judge is set to consider Alec Baldwin’s request to dismiss the grand jury indictment against him for involuntary manslaughter relating to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The hearing will be held on Friday. Hutchins was fatally shot during filming for the movie “Rust” on a film set near Santa Fe on October 21, 2021.
Baldwin, who served as lead actor and co-producer on the Western film, has pleaded not guilty. His legal team argues that the prosecution mishandled the grand jury process, neglecting to present exculpatory evidence and relevant witness testimonies. If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Baldwin could face up to one and a half years in prison.
The incident occurred during a rehearsal when Baldwin pointed a firearm at Hutchins. The revolver discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring the film’s director, Joel Souza. Baldwin maintains that he pulled back the hammer of the gun but did not pull the trigger. His legal team claims that the grand jury was misled by inaccurate and biased testimony regarding the condition of the firearm.
Prosecutors, however, contend proper protocols were followed during grand jury proceedings. Instead, they say that Baldwin’s motion to dismiss is a “shameless” attempt to escape responsibility for Hutchins’s death. The prosecutors point to contradictory statements made by the liberal actor to law enforcement, workplace safety regulators, and during media interviews in the aftermath of the shooting.
In April, the film’s weapons supervisor, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to a year and a half in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction for the cinematographer’s death. Safety coordinator Dave Halls pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm last year and was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.
