Actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on an involuntary manslaughter charge.
The indictment is related to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set of his film Rust in 2021.
Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison, if convicted.
Take a look at the breaking news on social media:
BREAKING: Actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico for involuntary manslaughter from the 2021 'Rust' shooting.
This is the second time Baldwin has faced charges in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
If convicted, Baldwin could face up to… pic.twitter.com/e3Tkncp7Pt
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2024
Baldwin has repeatedly denied pulling the trigger on the gun, but a firearms expert has concluded otherwise, saying that, “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.”
BREAKING
ALEC Baldwin indicted for manslaughter.
Forensic testing has determined there is no way the prop gun fired without Baldwin pulling the trigger. pic.twitter.com/HYjvWZUIGr
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) January 19, 2024
It’s a little ironic, isn’t it?
Far-left extremist Alec Baldwin once said he supports the government taking guns away from law-abiding citizens.
A few minutes ago he received manslaughter charges and is now potentially facing decades in prison for “accidentally” shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead. pic.twitter.com/GChPxjqqSh
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) January 19, 2024
Was President Trump right about Alec Baldwin, after all?
Remember when Donald Trump called Alec Baldwin a sick puppy, a sick person and a psycho.
Trump knews Alec Baldwin's time was coming and he was right. pic.twitter.com/8XLkxh4xCm
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) January 20, 2024
ABC News has more details on the indictment:
A grand jury has indicted Alec Baldwin on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the deadly shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of “Rust,” months after prosecutors dropped their case against the actor over her death.
The indictment charges Baldwin, 65, with involuntary manslaughter (negligent use of a firearm) or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter (without due caution or circumspection), both fourth-degree felonies.
In response to Friday’s indictment, Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, said, “We look forward to our day in court.”
Special prosecutors investigating the “Rust” shooting said in October 2023 that they believed Baldwin had “criminal culpability” in the deadly shooting. They said at the time they planned to present the case to the grand jury to determine whether probable cause existed to charge him.
The actor was practicing a cross-draw on the Santa Fe set in October 2021 when the gun fired, striking Hutchins and director Joel Souza, who suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
Baldwin was initially charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, before special prosecutors dropped the case against the actor in April 2023. At the time, they noted their investigation remained “active and ongoing.”
The attorneys representing the family of Hutchins and the film’s script supervisor in civil lawsuits over the shooting said in a statement Friday they “are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if he should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna.”
The charge carries a sentence of up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
CNN also reported:
Actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on charges connected to the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the movie “Rust,” new court documents show.
Baldwin is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The first involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin is described in court documents as “negligent use of a firearm” and the second as involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection, which is detailed as “an act committed with the total disregard or indifference to the safety of others.”
Both are fourth degree felonies.
“We look forward to our day in court,” Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Baldwin’s attorney has previously insisted his client is not guilty.
Involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped against Baldwin last year, with prosecutors saying in a statement at the time that they could not “proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form” due to “new facts” in the case.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza injured when a gun held by Baldwin fired a live round during a scene rehearsal on the set of the western.
Baldwin denied pulling the trigger on the weapon in a previous interview with CNN.
Well, perhaps the Dems will get to see Trump go to jail, after all…in some fashion…
🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: Alec Baldwin was just indicted in the Fatal Rust shooting on 2 counts of Manslaughter. When Democrats said Donald Trump was going to jail I never thought they meant this. pic.twitter.com/WoLtUKyPaR
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) January 19, 2024
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