Alec Baldwin Faces Second Criminal Charge For 'Rust' Shooting

Actor Alec Baldwin is once again facing charges for the October 2021 shooting of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Both the "30 Rock" actor and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in January 2023; however, in April 2023, charges against the actor were dropped without prejudice.

Gutierrez-Reed continued to face charges as the special prosecutors continued their investigation; a few weeks after dismissing the charges against Baldwin, prosecutors charged Gutierrez-Reed with an additional charge of tampering with evidence after they claimed a witness came forward to say that she had transferred narcotics to an individual on the day that Hutchins was killed, thus impeding the police investigation.

Her trial was postponed from December 2023 to February 2024.

Just one year after Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, the "30 Rock" actor is being charged again. The 65-year-old actor is now facing just a single count of involuntary manslaughter, which still carries up to 18 months in prison if he is convicted.

According to the charges, which were filed on January 19, 2024, Baldwin is now facing one count of involuntary manslaughter (negligent use of a firearm) in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins. The filing states that Baldwin “did cause the death of Halyna Hutchins by an act committed with the total disregard or indifference for the safety of others, and the act was such that an ordinary person would anticipate that death might occur under the circumstances.”

The grand jury issued the indictment on Friday by special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis, who were assigned to the case last year after the initial charges were dismissed without prejudice in April 2023.

“We look forward to our day in court,” Mr. Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, said in a statement on Friday, as per the New York Times.

On April 21, 2023, the State of New Mexico officially dismissed the charges against Alexander Rae Baldwin III in the 1st Judicial District Court of Santa Fe County. The official document reads:

“COMES NOW the State of New Mexico, by and through special prosecutors Kari T.
Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis, and enters a nolle prosequi in the above-numbered and styled cause, as new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis which cannot be completed before the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing. The case is dismissed without prejudice and the investigation is active and on-going.”

At the time, the charges were dismissed without prejudice, which meant that he could face charges in the future as special prosecutors continued to investigate the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis released a statement explaining that they could not prosecute Baldwin given time constraints before bringing the case to trial. The statement (via Deadline) from the two "Rust" prosecutors reads:

“Over the last few days and in preparation for the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing, new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis in the case against Alexander 'Alec' Rae Baldwin, III. Consequently, we cannot proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form. We therefore will be dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charges against Mr. Baldwin to conduct further investigation. This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled. Our follow-up investigation will remain active and on-going.”

At the time, they also clarified that the charges have not been dropped against "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, saying, “Charges against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed remain unchanged.”

In February 2023, Hutchins’ mother Olga Solovey, her father Anatolii Androsovych, and sister Svetlana Zemko, filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin, “Rust” producers, and a handful of other companies and individuals claiming negligence that resulted in Halyna’s death.

After the charges were dropped, attorney Gloria Allred, who represents the family, released a statement saying that her clients “remain hopeful” that Baldwin would still face criminal charges.

“Mr. Baldwin may pretend that he is not responsible for pulling the trigger and ejecting a live bullet which ended Halyna’s life,” she said in a statement. “He can run to Montana and pretend that he is just an actor in a Wild West movie but, in real life, he cannot escape from the fact that he had a major role in a tragedy which had real-life consequences.”

Gloria Allred also represents “Rust” script supervisor Mamie Mitchell in the lawsuit that she filed against Baldwin and other “Rust” producers in November 2021.