A judge in New Mexico has denied Alec Baldwin’s motion to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter indictment against him in the “Rust” fatal shooting case, related to the tragic death of the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
Baldwin’s attorneys had alleged misconduct by prosecutors during the grand jury process and had sought to have the case dismissed. In January, Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting incident where Hutchins lost her life and director Joel Souza was injured after a gun Baldwin was holding discharged a live round during a scene rehearsal on the New Mexico set of the western movie.
This was the second time the actor pleaded not guilty to charges connected to the shooting. Involuntary manslaughter charges were initially dropped against Baldwin in 2023 due to new facts in the case, but he was charged for a second time and indicted in January.
Baldwin’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the indictment in March, accusing prosecutors of misconduct, including presenting false and inaccurate testimony to the grand jury, withholding exculpatory evidence, and giving improper instructions. However, special prosecutors in New Mexico defended their case, stating that Baldwin’s actions on the “Rust” movie set contributed to safety compromises that led to the fatal shooting.
In the ruling to deny Baldwin’s motion to dismiss, the judge stated that there was no prosecutorial bad faith as claimed by the defense and that proper procedures were followed in the grand jury process. The judge reviewed transcripts from the grand jury presentations and did not find evidence of intentional misconduct by the prosecuting attorney assisting the grand jury.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was responsible for firearm safety and storage on the movie set, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced to 18 months in prison, with an ongoing appeal.
Following the judge’s decision not to dismiss the charges against Baldwin, his legal team expressed readiness for their day in court. The case continues to unfold as legal proceedings progress.
