Alec Baldwin May Not Consume Alcohol, Possess Firearms Following 'Rust' Not Guilty Plea

Actor Alec Baldwin was arraigned in a New Mexico court on February 1. The "30 Rock" actor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed on the set of the Western film in October 2021. Director Joel Souza was also hospitalized as a result of the incident.

In January 2023, the 65-year-old actor and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. However, the charges against Baldwin were dropped in April 2023, pending further investigation. Gutierrez-Reed was charged with tampering with evidence after an unidentified witness told prosecutors that she transferred narcotics to another individual on the day that Hutchins was killed, thus impeding the police investigation. Her trial has been scheduled for February 2024.

In January 2024, special prosecutors charged the actor with involuntary manslaughter again. The actor later invoked his right to a speedy trial, but it remains to be seen if the case will end up in front of a jury.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast on Wednesday, January 31, Alec Baldwin entered a not guilty plea and waived a personal appearance during the arraignment that was scheduled for February 1.

Under the conditions of his release, the actor must obey all federal and state laws, may not possess any firearms or dangerous weapons, and may not consume alcohol or any other illegal substances. He may also not leave the U.S. without written permission of the Court and must avoid all contact with Halyna Hutchins’ family and anyone who might testify in the case.

He is, however, allowed to have contact with those who are working on the “Rust” movie, such as director Joel Souza, but only as it pertains to business. As part of the court documents, he is not allowed to “discuss the accident at issue” or “the substance of his or the witness’s potential testimony in this case.”

In a statement posted to their website on January 25, 2024, SAG-AFTRA came to the defense of the "Supercell" actor and said that it was not an actor's duty to inspect the firearm. Instead, they feel that role falls on the armorer. "To the extent that the charges filed on January 19 are based on an accusation of negligent use of a firearm predicated on this or any actor having a duty to inspect a firearm as part of its use, that is an incorrect assessment of the actual duties of an actor on set," their statement read.

"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," they continued. "The Industry Standards for safety with firearms and the use of blank ammunition are clearly laid out in Safety Bulletin 1, provided by the Joint Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Commission. The guidelines require an experienced, qualified armorer to be put in charge of all handling, use, and safekeeping of firearms on set. These duties include 'inspecting the firearm and barrel before and after every firing sequence,' and 'checking all firearms before each use.'"

"The guidelines do not make it the performer’s responsibility to check any firearm. Performers train to perform, and they are not required or expected to be experts on guns or experienced in their use. The industry assigns that responsibility to qualified professionals who oversee their use and handling in every aspect. Anyone issued a firearm on set must be given training and guidance in its safe handling and use, but all activity with firearms on a set must be under the careful supervision and control of the professional armorer and the employer," the statement concludes.

Halyna Hutchins' mother, father, and sister released a statement through their attorney, Gloria Allred, who is representing the family in a civil suit against the actor and other "Rust" producers. Allred is also representing "Rust" script supervisor Mamie Mitchell in a separate lawsuit. "The notion that an actor is not responsible if that actor holds a gun, points it at someone on a movie set, and discharges the weapon flies in the face of common sense and the law," Gloria Allred said in a statement to People magazine.

"Safety protocols may be considered at trial, but they are not the law," she continued. "This indictment was the result of a careful assessment by the grand jury of all the facts and the law. It is important to respect the grand jury’s decision to indict, and to allow the criminal justice system to proceed to trial where the case will be decided on its merits."

In a separate statement made shortly after the second charges were announced, Allred said, “Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed on October 21, 2021. They continue to seek the truth in our civil lawsuit for them and they also would like there to be accountability in the criminal justice system."

"The grand jury has decided that there is sufficient evidence to indict Alec Baldwin on the charge of involuntary manslaughter," Allred continued. "We are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if he should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna, who was the daughter of our clients Olga Solovey and Anatolii Androsovych, the sister of Svetlana Zemko, and the co-worker-of-our-client-, Mamie Mitchell.”