- Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust” in New Mexico.
- Baldwin is prohibited from possessing firearms as part of his release terms.
- Baldwin’s lawyers are looking forward to their day in court as the grand jury indictment carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison if convicted.
Additional Coverage:
Actor Alec Baldwin has entered a plea of not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie “Rust” in New Mexico. Baldwin waived his arraignment and the plea was submitted through a court document. As part of his release terms, Baldwin is prohibited from possessing firearms, among other conditions. The actor was indicted by a grand jury for involuntary manslaughter, a fourth-degree felony that carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison if convicted. Baldwin’s lawyers have stated that they are looking forward to their day in court.
This is not the first time Baldwin has faced charges of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the fatal shooting on set. In January 2023, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies charged Baldwin, but he pleaded not guilty at the time. However, after Carmack-Altwies stepped down from the case, newly appointed special prosecutors dropped the charges against Baldwin in April 2023, stating that their investigation was still ongoing.
The special prosecutors announced in October 2023 that they believed Baldwin had some level of culpability in the shooting and announced their plans to present the case to a grand jury to determine whether there was enough evidence for charges. The incident occurred in October 2021 on the Santa Fe set of “Rust” when Baldwin was practicing a cross-draw with a gun, which accidentally discharged, fatally hitting Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
In addition to Baldwin, “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez was also charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting and has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection for her trial is scheduled to begin on February 21 in Santa Fe County, with the trial expected to start on February 22 and last for two weeks. Gutierrez’s lawyers have stated that they anticipate a not guilty verdict, arguing that she requested more firearms training on the set but was disregarded.