Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Trial Begins in New Mexico
Nearly three years after the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the film “Rust,” actor Alec Baldwin is preparing to stand trial.
Baldwin faces charges of involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in the fatal incident, which occurred during a rehearsal with a prop gun. The same incident also injured the film’s director, Joel Souza.
Jury selection for Alec Baldwin’s criminal trial begins Tuesday. It remains uncertain if Baldwin will take the stand to testify.
Baldwin has consistently claimed that he did not pull the trigger and that the gun misfired a bullet. However, in 2022, FBI testing of the .45-caliber Colt prop revolver indicated that the gun would not have fired without the trigger being pulled, according to NBC.
Last month, Baldwin’s attorneys requested the judge to dismiss the case, arguing that the firearm was severely damaged during forensic testing at the FBI lab. The motion was denied.
Initially, Baldwin faced charges of involuntary manslaughter and a firearm enhancement charge, which was later dropped, reducing his potential prison sentence by five years. Subsequently, the charges against Baldwin were dismissed due to “new facts in the case,” as stated by the prosecutors.
Over the following months, investigators continued to gather evidence and interview witnesses. Eventually, a New Mexico grand jury indicted Baldwin on one count of involuntary manslaughter.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for overseeing the weapons on set, is currently serving an 18-month jail sentence.
Baldwin maintains that he was holding the gun and pulled back the hammer, but did not pull the trigger when the gun fired unintentionally.
