The actor has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of “Rust,” and the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Rust shooting case and the death of cinematographer Helina Hutchins, according to online court documents. The 65-year-old entered the not guilty plea on January 30th and also waived an appearance at an arraignment that had been scheduled for February 1st. It comes after a grand jury indicted the star on January 19th per legal document reviewed by E! News. Baldwin has been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter for “negligent use of a firearm without due caution or circumspection.” Regarding this new charge, Baldwin’s attorneys told E! News, “We look forward to our day in court.”
E! News has also previously reached out to Baldwin’s rep but has not yet heard back. If convicted, the actor could face up to 18 months in prison per NBC News. A trial date has not been set. It’s the latest twist after the fallout of the shooting case on the Rust movie set in New Mexico in 2021. In 2023, a previous involuntary manslaughter charge was dropped against the actor. At the time, his attorney said in a joint statement to NBC News that the district attorney of Santa Fe County would not be moving forward with plans to prosecute Baldwin, saying, “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident.” The actor also broke his silence on the dismissal in April, sharing a photo of himself and his wife Hilaria Baldwin on social media and thanking her, writing,
“I owe everything I have to this woman.” He added, expressing gratitude to his attorney in regards to the initial involuntary manslaughter charge. Baldwin and Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed each pleaded not guilty. Gutierrez Reed still faces the charge and her new trial date was previously confirmed for February 21st, 2024. Hutchins was fatally wounded on the set of Rust in October of 2021 when a lead projectile was discharged from a prop gun that Baldwin was holding. The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also hurt in the incident, though his rep told NBC News he has recovered from his injuries. Baldwin has denied any wrongdoing in Hutchins’ death, including during a 2021 interview with ABC News when he told George Stephanopoulos, “It wasn’t in the script for the trigger to be pulled. Well, the trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger.” He emphasized, “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull a trigger at them. Never. That was the training that I had. You don’t point a gun at someone and pull a trigger.”
More on the case and Alex Baldwin
SAG-AFTRA is coming out swinging in support of #AlecBaldwin amid the new “Rust” charges! #TMZLive debates
- BREAKING… Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty on manslaughter charges today. The trigger pulled itself – Gunther Eagleman
- Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to new involuntary manslaughter charge over Halyna Hutchins’s Rust shooting – BBC
- Alec Baldwin plead not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from a 2021 shooting death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin has maintained his innocence in the case, saying he didn’t pull the trigger. – 1440 Daily Digest
- Hollywood union SAG-AFTRA defends Alec Baldwin, claims actors have special privileges exempting them from basic gun safety rules. Victim’s family lawyer Gloria Allred says this “flies in the face of common sense and the law,” My story below with more. The major Hollywood union SAG-AFTRA came out in defense of Alec Baldwin after he was indicted for involuntary manslaughter for shooting and killing his cinematographer on the “Rust” movie set. The union claims that actors have special privileges exempting them from basic gun safety rules. A lawyer for the victim’s family, Gloria Allred, disputes the union’s stance, asserting that the jury will ultimately determine responsibility. – Emily Miller
