According to US court filings on Wednesday, Alec Baldwin has entered a not guilty plea to manslaughter charges pertaining to the death of a young woman who was shot to death on the set of a low-budget Western.
Producer and movie actor Baldwin was indicted this month for his involvement in Halyna Hutchins‘ 2021 death when the historical drama “Rust” was being filmed in New Mexico. Director Joel Souza was wounded and Hutchins was killed when the Colt.45 he was holding accidentally fired.
Baldwin has consistently rejected taking accountability, maintaining that he did not squeeze the trigger of the firearm—which wasn’t supposed to be loaded with a live cartridge.
The event caused a stir in Hollywood and prompted demands to strengthen the laws governing the carrying of weapons on film sets.
However, it also sparked charges of careless management. Some in the business said that the strict procedures in place had just not been adhered to throughout the production of “Rust.”
In an effort to “minimize public vilification and suspicion and to avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after a lengthy delay in prosecution,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, have submitted a plea for a speedy trial.
Baldwin was scheduled to appear virtually for an arraignment in the New Mexico court on Thursday; however, his attorneys filed a waiver that included his
In April of last year, Baldwin, 65, had his initial manslaughter charges dropped. Prosecutors cited “new facts” that called for “further investigation and forensic analysis.”
This resulted in the grand jury’s empanelment, which gave rise to the indictment he is currently facing. Should he be found guilty, the sentence may be as long as 18 months in prison.
Two alternate accusations of involuntary manslaughter are being brought against Baldwin: one for “negligent use of a firearm” and the other for acting “without due caution or circumspection.” The jury will determine whether or not to find him guilty on either count alone, or on neither (but not both).
He is being held accountable as an actor as the charges are related to the action rather than the movie’s oversight.
The accusations were criticized by the actors’ union SAG–AFTRA, which stated that they were founded on “an incorrect assessment of the actual duties of an actor.“
The union declared, “An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert.” “Firearms are provided for use on set under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.”
The armorer in the movie, Hannah Gutierrez–Reed, who is in charge of keeping and distributing weapons, is scheduled to go on trial later this month on allegations of tampering with evidence and involuntary homicide.
The assistant director and safety coordinator for the movie, Dave Halls, who gave Baldwin the loaded gun, entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution and was given a six-month probationary period.
The incident stopped “Rust” filming, but it started up again last year.
Executive producer for the film was Matthew Hutchins, the widower of the cinematographer, who had already reached a settlement with the creators of “Rust” in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Returning as well, director Souza stated that while finishing the film would be “bittersweet,” the actors and crew “are committed to completing what Halyna and I started.”
Baldwin’s bail keeps him free.
