Alec Baldwin may face involuntary manslaughter charges in 'Rust' shooting as case to be brought before grand jury
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Alec Baldwin, could again be charged for invoulntary manslaughter in connection with the death cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of 'Rust' in 2021.
The charges were earlier dismissed by prosecutors in New Maxico, citing new evidence in the case.
However, there was a high probability of the case getting reopened as investigation continued.
Will Alec Baldwin face involuntary manslaughter charges again?
Sources told NBC News on Tuesday, October 18, that Baldwin’s case will be presented to a grand jury in mid-November.
The sources further revealed that there have been discussions of a plea deal as well.
Baldwin was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January this year, but the charge was dismissed in April by special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis.
They said they had discovered “new facts” that suggested the gun Baldwin was using had been modified and malfunctioned.
"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,” prosecutor Morrissey said.
“The forensic testing of the gun concluded with certainty that the trigger of the gun had to have been pulled for the gun to go off,” Morrissey added, according to New York Times.
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There was no evidence of gun modification found in a report released in August
However, a gun analysis report released in August found no evidence of modification.
The prosecutors, who dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin in April, had at the time indicated that the charges might be brought again.
“This decision does not absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled," Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said in a statement as they revealed to have found new evidence in the case.
How long will Alec Baldwin be held in prison, if convicted?
Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison, if convicted of the charge.
He has maintained that he did not pull the trigger and that the shooting was a terrible accident.
The shooting occurred on October 21, 2021, when Baldwin’s prop gun fired a live round, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's trial date for same charges is set for February
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. However, Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to the charge.Her trial date is set for February 21, 2024.
Dave Halls, the movie’s assistant director, accepted a plea deal on a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon in March.
He was sentenced to six months of supervised probation.
In June, Hutchins’ husband settled a wrongful death suit with Baldwin and 'Rust' producers.
Production on the set of 'Rust' resumed this spring and Hutchins serves as an executive producer on the project.
