Prosecutors are hoping to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on a movie set back in 2021.
Earlier this year, Baldwin had all criminal charges dropped over the death of Hutchins on the set of Rust.
Hutchins, a cinematographer, was fatally shot in October 2021 when a gun Baldwin had been holding on the set of the film was fired.
Prosecutors in Santa Fe consequently charged Baldwin with two involuntary manslaughter charges, with Santa Fe’s District Attorney’s Office accusing the actor at the time of ‘many instances of extremely reckless acts’.
Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, praised the decision in a statement on the matter.
Nikas had previously voiced his disagreement over the involuntary manslaughter charges, saying: “This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun – or anywhere on the movie set.
“He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
Baldwin has always denied any wrongdoing in the death of Hutchins.
Following her death, the actor said there were ‘no words to convey [his] shock and sadness’.
He described Hutchins as ‘a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague’, adding: “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family. My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.”
The latest developments come after a forensic report in August, obtained by People, suggesting that the trigger of the prop Colt .45 revolver must have been pulled ‘sufficiently’, according to claims from a firearms expert.
“Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver,” reads the firearms report by experts Lucien Haag and Mike Haag.
Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel: “It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution. We will answer any charges in court.”
