Alec Baldwin has been indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting that took place on the film set of Rust in 2021. The film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, died during the incident.
Charges were first brought against the 65-year-old 30 Rock star in January 2023 but were dropped several months later.
This past week, two special prosecutors, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, brought the case before a grand jury.
The prosecution had received new analysis of the Colt .45 revolver used in the incident after it was sent for further forensic testing per Variety.
After the gun had been broken during testing by the FBI, it was reconstructed by a team of experts who alleged that the only way it could’ve gone off was by pulling the trigger.
Baldwin has contended he never pulled the trigger, only the hammer.
“This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by the pull or rearward depression of the trigger,” the report read per the ABC.
“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.”
Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro have indicated they intend to fight the fresh charges.
“We look forward to our day in court,” the pair said in a statement.
If convicted of the new charges, the actor could spend up to 18 months behind bars.
Rust began filming again in 2023 after an agreement was signed that made Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins an executive producer on the project.
The Rust Movie Productions company has paid USD $100,000 (AUD $151,000) in workplace safety violation fines to state regulators.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.