Alec Baldwin charged over fatal film set shooting
Hollywood heavyweight Alec Baldwin has been indicted again over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a New Mexico film set, after he was handed a loaded gun during rehearsal.
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Alec Baldwin has been charged for a second time after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on a film set in 2021, according to new court documents.
A grand jury, which is a set of people selected to examine the validity of an accusation prior to trial in US courts, indicted him of two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The first is connected to negligent use of a firearm, while the second charge pertains to a failure to consider the safety of others on the film’s set.
“We look forward to our day in court,” his lawyers told the media.
The Hollywood heavyweight was handed a loaded gun during a rehearsal for the western, Rust, which accidentally fired, killing Hutchins and injuring film director Joel Souza.
A previous round of involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin was dropped last year after prosecutors said they could not proceed to trial due to time constraints, as well as new facts which required further investigation including forensic analysis.
It was reported at the time that the gun may have been modified.
Authorities now say they believe Baldwin is criminally culpable for the incident.
Video from the New Mexico set, recorded before Hutchins’ death, appears to show Baldwin expressing concern for the safety of crew members during rehearsals.
The footage shows him asking people to move out of the way, saying: “Do you mind going to the other side of the camera? I don’t want to shoot toward you.”
Baldwin has always denied the charges and maintained he never pulled the trigger.
The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and will face trial in February. She has pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, assistant director David Halls, who handed the loaded firearm to Baldwin, was charged with negligent use of a deadly weapon and signed a plea agreement.
Originally published as Alec Baldwin charged over fatal film set shooting
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