Alec Baldwin charged two years after death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the death of Halyna Hutchins, who died after the actor's prop gun on the set of the film Rust fired a bullet.
A New Mexico grand jury decided to indict Baldwin on one count of involuntary manslaughter.
The actor's legal representatives Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said 'we look forward to our day in court', though no date for the trial has yet been set.
If found guilty Alec Baldwin could spend up to 18 months in prison.
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He had previously been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, though those charges were dropped in April of the same year.
"We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident," Nikas and Spiro said of the decision at the time.
On 21 October, 2021 on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set Baldwin was filming the movie Rust when his prop gun fired a live round of ammunition on set.
The shot killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured the film's director Joel Souza.
Court records released at the time showed that Baldwin claimed the film's assistant director Dave Halls said 'cold gun' of the prop weapon just before the shooting occurred, and that he has said he didn't pull the trigger.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armourer who is responsible for weapons used on the set, denied knowing where the live rounds had come from.
A report into the shooting on the set of Rust concluded in 2022 that 'firearm safety procedures were not followed on set'.
In October 2023 it was reported that prosecutors were looking to re-charge Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.
They said: "We believe that based on our lengthy and detailed investigation that it is appropriate for a grand jury in New Mexico to make a decision on whether the case should proceed."
Special prosecutors claimed that their analysis of the weapon Baldwin was using concluded that the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled.
In November footage of Baldwin on the set of Rust days before the fatal shooting emerged.
In the video Baldwin could be seen preparing for scenes, while in one moment checking on the crew and recommending they move to a safer location.
Rust armourer Gutierrez-Reed was charged with involuntary manslaughter last year and her trial is set to begin on 21 February, she has entered a plea of not guilty.
Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film, US News, Crime
Joe Harker