Santa Fe, New Mexico – Actor Alec Baldwin is facing a trial on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the tragic 2021 shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Despite Baldwin’s plea of not guilty, a judge in New Mexico has rejected his attempt to have the case dismissed, setting the stage for a trial scheduled for July.
The decision by Judge Mary Marlowe follows a hearing in May where Baldwin’s attorneys and prosecutors presented oral arguments. Special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey emphasized Baldwin’s responsibility for the firearms once in his possession, while Baldwin’s legal team argued that critical evidence was not presented during the grand jury proceeding that led to Baldwin’s indictment on the manslaughter charge.
Hutchins’ untimely death occurred on October 21, 2021, during a rehearsal on the set of “Rust.” Baldwin has maintained that the shooting was accidental, claiming that Hutchins directed him to aim the gun at her as he rehearsed a scene. He has reiterated in interviews that he did not intentionally pull the trigger and insists that the gun malfunctioned.
Initially, prosecutors charged both Baldwin and the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, with involuntary manslaughter. Following the resignation of a special prosecutor assigned to the case, new prosecutors announced a temporary dismissal of the manslaughter charge against Baldwin, citing new facts in the case.
Subsequently, Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March, although she was found not guilty of evidence tampering. Baldwin reached a settlement with Hutchins’ family, where he filmed the remaining scenes of the film in Montana.
In a statement following the settlement, Hutchins’ husband expressed a desire to avoid assigning blame for the tragedy and emphasized the accident’s nature. The family agreed to undisclosed terms and announced that Matthew Hutchins would serve as an executive producer on the film.
As the case progresses, Baldwin remains resolute in his plea of not guilty, gearing up for the trial to determine the outcome of the involuntary manslaughter charge he faces.