(RepublicanView.org) – Actor Alec Baldwin has failed in his attempt to have his manslaughter charges dismissed. The Emmy Award winner was indicted on an involuntary manslaughter offense in 2022, which were initially dismissed and then re-applied in 2024. Part of the reason for this is that evidence found Baldwin must have pulled the trigger that caused the death of cinematographer Halnya Hutchins, despite his repeated denial.
The incident happened on the set of the movie “Rust,” in New Mexico in 2021 when armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed handed Baldwin a gun to fire during a scene rehearsal. Baldwin allegedly aimed the gun at the camera and pulled the trigger to discover it was loaded with live ammunition, which killed Hutchins and injured the film’s director. Gutierrez Reed is serving 18 months in prison, and prosecutors decided to reinstate the charge against Baldwin.
In the latest courtroom battle, Baldwin’s attorneys once again argued that their client was not criminally liable and the shooting was accidental. Prosecutor Kari Morrissey hit back, saying Baldwin specifically asked for the biggest gun on set and knew it was a real firearm. Morrissey additionally said that dummy rounds look precisely like live ammunition, and Baldwin is fully aware of that. Finally, she explained that the actor knew Gutierrez Reed “wasn’t following the rules” when she carried out gun safety tests.
Staffers from the set had reportedly complained about lax safety measures and staged a walkout in protest just the day before the deadly incident. Workers complained about long hours, delayed paychecks, long commutes, and safety protocols. Camera operators reportedly conveyed issues with gun safety checks to a production manager, including unexpected live ammunition discharges.
Baldwin’s stunt double had reportedly fired two rounds on a different set by accident, but nobody was hurt. A whistleblower later told reporters that the incident was not investigated and “there was no assurance it wouldn’t happen again.” The whistleblower suggested that getting things done quickly was more important to those in charge than safety and security.
Baldwin’s legal team filed yet another bid to dismiss the charges on Monday, June 24.
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