Alec Baldwin has been charged for a second time with involuntary manslaughter after the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
Halyna was killed on the set of Rust in October 2021 after Alec fired a prop gun that had not been properly checked. The incident occurred on set in New Mexico and the film's director, Joel Souza, was also injured.
The charges were dropped in early 2023 but after the gun was sent for further testing with two experts reconstructing the gun – which was broken during FBI testing – they concluded that it could only have been fired by a pull of the trigger.
"This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by the pull or rearward depression of the trigger,” the report concluded.
"Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, 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."
If convicted, Alec – a father of eight – faces up to 18 months in prison.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, is set to go on trial on February 21, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence; she is accused of mistakenly loaded live bullets into the gun, not dummies.
The first assistant director, David Halls, pleaded no contest in March 2023 to a misdemeanor gun charge; in return he was given six months of unsupervised probation.
Halyna's husband, Matthew Hutchins, reached a settlement in October 2022 which ensures that insurance funds and a portion of the film's profits will go towards their son, who is now 11.
"I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” Matthew said at the time of the settlement. “All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
He later claimed he "supported the charges" aimed at Alec, and that he would "fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law".
The film returned to production in early 2023 and completed filming; Joel Souza resumed his role as director to honor the legacy of Halyna, while producers also confirmed that the scene in which Halyna was shot has been completely rewritten.
Alec became a father for the eighth time in September 2022 when wife Hialria gave birth to their daughter Ilaria Catalina Irena. The 39-year-old and the 30 Rock star, share three daughters Carmen Gabriela, 10, Maria Lucia Victoria, two, and 16-month-old Ilaria, as well as four sons Rafael Thomas, eight, Leonardo Ágel Charles, six, Romeo Alejandro David, five, and Eduardo Pao Lucas, two.
Alec is also dad to daughter Ireland Baldwin, 29, whom he shares with ex-wife Kim Basinger.