Actor Alec Baldwin entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday to charges of involuntary manslaughter in the on-set shooting incident that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of the movie “Rust” in New Mexico in 2021. The plea was made as Baldwin waived his right to an arraignment, following a grand jury indictment on January 19 that revived the criminal case after it had been dismissed months earlier.
This case, unusual in Hollywood, has sparked significant discussions about firearms safety in the production of movies and television. Baldwin, who denies responsibility for Hutchins’ death, claims he was informed that the gun was “cold,” meaning it contained only blank rounds, and fired without him pulling the trigger.
The original charges were dropped due to questions about whether the gun Baldwin used during rehearsals could have been modified to discharge on its own. Prosecutors sought a grand jury indictment after an independent forensic test revealed the gun would only fire if the trigger were pulled.
Hutchins was killed on October 21, 2021, and director Joel Souza was also wounded by the same bullet. The live round had been brought onto the set by the movie’s weapons handler, Hannah Gutierrez, according to the evidence presented.
Gutierrez faces separate involuntary manslaughter charges, and the loading of a live round into Baldwin’s gun remains a central focus of the cases against both Gutierrez and Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, handling the case, recently stated that photos and evidence indicated the live round was brought onto the set by Gutierrez, who is set to face trial on February 21. The investigation has pointed to live rounds being present on set as early as October 10, 2021.
The trial will delve into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, with the key question being how a live round, strictly prohibited on film sets, ended up in Baldwin’s gun.
