Alec Baldwin Pleads Not Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter Charges in Halyna Hutchins Shooting Case

In a significant development in the case surrounding the tragic shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film ‘Rust,’ actor Alec Baldwin, 65, has entered a not guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter charges. The actor, who was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month, opted to waive his right to appear in court, leading to the cancellation of the scheduled arraignment hearing on Thursday.

Despite being free without bail, New Mexico Judge T Glenn Ellington has imposed specific conditions on Baldwin. The actor is prohibited from possessing firearms or consuming alcohol during the proceedings. Additionally, he is restricted from contacting witnesses involved in the case, except for matters related to the release of the film ‘Rust.’ The judge outlined, “Defendant is not permitted to discuss the accident at issue or the substance of his or the witness’s potential testimony in this case.”

Alec Baldwin is allowed to have contact with witnesses solely within the context of promoting the movie and other related business matters. Unrelated business matters are defined as other business relationships between Baldwin and any of the witnesses. The judge specified that discussions about the incident are permitted with witnesses named as civil co-defendants only in the presence of attorneys for civil litigation purposes.

Furthermore, Baldwin has been instructed not to solicit witnesses or members of the cast and crew for participation in the documentary with Moxie Films or to obtain statements regarding safety on the ‘Rust’ set outside of standard investigative procedures.

This marks the second set of charges for Alec Baldwin, following the dropping of initial charges in April 2023. The renewed charges come after prosecutors conducted additional forensic testing on the weapon involved in the incident. If found guilty, Baldwin faces a potential 18 months to three years of jail time.

The actor, who maintains he did not pull the trigger, faces accusations related to the negligent use of a firearm, as well as involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection. The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also shot during the incident, and the grand jury indictment stated that Baldwin’s actions demonstrated “total disregard or indifference to the safety of others.”

Alec Baldwin’s defense is expected to challenge the conclusion of the testing, highlighting that the gun was broken during earlier test firing at an FBI lab. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has defended Baldwin’s conduct, emphasizing that, as an actor, he was not responsible for gun safety on set. The extent of Baldwin’s oversight responsibilities as a producer on the film remains a point of dispute.