Alec Baldwin Charged With Manslaughter Again Over Fatal Rust Movie Set Shooting

Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter on the movie set of Rust for the second time.

In October 2021, the movie's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after a prop gun which was held by Baldwin on the set, went off. Director Joel Souza also sustained injuries in the same incident.

Last April, all initial criminal charges had been dropped against the actor. This ruling was made on the basis that the prop gun's hammer, the part of the revolver which gets pulled back to build momentum before firing, might have been modified so the gun could have been fired without someone pulling the trigger. 

Following recent analysis, they began to consider if a new charge could be refiled, which relied on replacement parts to reassemble the pistol, after it broke during FBI testing.

But new forensic tests have concluded that Alec Baldwin would have had to pull the trigger to fire the live round. This finding was matched by a previous FBI test. The actor has said that he only pulled back the hammer.

"Given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver", a new report stated. 

In response to these findings, Baldwin's lawyers have said that "we look forward to our day in court". 

If found guilty, Alec Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison. 

Baldwin and fellow producers on the show are already facing civil proceedings from almost a dozen plaintiffs over Mrs Hutchins' death.

The film's armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is to face trial next month for involuntary manslaughter, and evidence tampering. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The film's safety co-ordinator and assistant director Dave Halls, who handed Baldwin the gun on set, has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors, and sentenced to six months probation.