Alec Baldwin is now facing trial in connection with the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who lost her life on the "Rust" film set in 2021 when a prop gun fired a live round.
The decision to indict Baldwin on one count of involuntary manslaughter was announced after a New Mexico grand jury reviewed evidence presented by special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis.
Alec Baldwin indicted on involuntary manslaughter charge in ‘Rust’ shooting https://t.co/DBfSbQxSV9
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 19, 2024
Baldwin's legal team, comprised of attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro from Quinn Emanuel, expressed their readiness for the upcoming legal proceedings, stating, "We look forward to our day in court."
Should Baldwin be convicted, he could potentially face a sentence of up to 18 months in prison, although a specific trial date has not yet been set.
Gloria Allred, the attorney representing the family of Halyna Hutchins, conveyed their anticipation for the criminal trial that will seek to determine Baldwin's responsibility in the untimely death of the cinematographer.
In November, NBC News obtained several videos showing Baldwin handling prop guns on the "Rust" set. The footage, totaling about seven minutes, depicted Baldwin preparing for scenes, firing the guns, and expressing safety concerns while interacting with the crew.
Notably, in two of the videos, he took steps to rearrange crew members. The production continued for two weeks before being halted.
Reports surfaced in October that Baldwin and the special prosecutors had engaged in discussions regarding a potential plea deal.
This arrangement was rescinded in the days leading up to the decision to present the case to a grand jury.
This recent indictment comes after the same New Mexico prosecutors dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin in April.
Throughout interviews with ABC News and CNN, Baldwin consistently asserted that he did not pull the trigger and emphasized that the gun had been declared "cold" by assistant director Dave Halls.
Halls had pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon and received a sentence of six months of unsupervised probation.
The trial is expected to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident on the "Rust" film set. It will also shed light on the conflicting narratives and perspectives surrounding Baldwin's role in the events leading to Halyna Hutchins' death.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case continues to seek what really happened and hold those accountable responsible.
