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During my interview a while back with a director of small-budget Westerns, he explained to me that if you keep your costs down low enough and, better still, cast a recognizable character actor or country music star — not a superstar, but someone recognizable — to promote in packaging and advertising, you could turn a profit just on DVD and Blu-ray sales. “You do it right,” he said, “and you make your money back from Redbox and big-box stores. You do it wrong — you get ‘Rust.’”

It’s a theory that might seem dated today — more than likely, that director now relies heavily if not exclusively on sales to streaming platforms — but the industrial-strength pressure to pinch pennies and stretch dollars continues apace for indie genre filmmakers. As director Rachel Mason makes abundantly clear in her exceptional Hulu documentary “Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna,” such measures can have fatal consequences.

Alec Baldwin’s criminal case, stemming from the involuntary shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in October 2021, is officially over after special prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew her appeal of a judge’s decision to dismiss the case over the summer.

According to Variety, the decision was announced on Monday, December 23rd, after the Arizona attorney general’s office said that it “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal on behalf of the prosecution.”

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer initially dismissed Baldwin’s case on July 12th after determining that prosecutor’s office had withheld crucial evidence that may have explained how live ammunition ended up on the film’s set. “The state is highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant,” Variety reports Marlowe Sommer saying. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”

The crucial evidence, which the judge examined herself in the courtroom,...

Three years after the tragic on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin’s indie Western Rust will finally be revealed to the public. The movie has been selected to make its world premiere in late November at Poland’s Camerimage International Film Festival, a respected specialty event focusing on achievements in cinematography. The festival said Thursday that it plans to hold a panel discussion after Rust‘s first screening to honor Hutchins’ memory.

Speakers at the premiere will include Rust writer-director Joel Souza, who was struck by the same bullet that killed Hutchins when a prop gun handled by Baldwin was discharged during production in October 2021. Appearing alongside the director will be Stephen Lighthill, Huchins’ mentor from her student days at the American Film Institute, and Bianca Cline, the cinematographer who stepped in to finish the movie after a wrongful death lawsuit was settled.

“The filmmakers will discuss events surrounding the film,...

Quentin Tarantino recently appeared on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, where the two discussed Alec Baldwin’s role in the shooting death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Maher did not think it was fair that Baldwin was prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter, but Tarantino said the actor was responsible to a certain degree. The gun Baldwin was holding on the “Rust” set had live rounds in it, and Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured when Baldwin fired it.

“It’s a situation I think I am being fair enough to say that the armorer, the guy who hands him the gun, is 90% responsible for everything that happens when it comes to that gun. But the actor is 10% responsible,” Tarantino said. “The actor is 10% responsible. It’s a gun! You are a partner in the responsibility to some degree.”

Tarantino, who is no stranger to having guns on his film sets,...

A negligence lawsuit against Alec Baldwin over the 'Rust' shooting has been ordered to resume.By: Mega

Alec Baldwin may have dodged criminal charges over the deadly Rust set shooting, but he's back in the legal arena fighting a negligence lawsuit that has been ordered to resume, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

A crew member on the Western, Serge Svetnoy, sued Baldwin and the movie's production company over the horrific accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The 42-year-old mom was killed during a scene rehearsal when a prop gun Baldwin was holding unexpectedly fired a live round into her chest – with the bullet also striking and wounding the movie's director Joel Souza in the shoulder.

The troubled movie only made $25,000 in ticket sales.Mega

Svetnoy, the film's key grip, claimed the projectile "narrowly missed him" and said: "Discharge materials from this blast struck (him) directly".

His complaint stated: "Simply put, there...

Rust director Joel Souza is opening up about the indie Western’s production, during which he was shot and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed when a prop gun handled by star Alec Baldwin was discharged on Oct. 21, 2021.

Souza spoke with Vanity Fair in an interview published online Thursday, marking his first media sit-down about the project since that fateful day in New Mexico. The filmmaker was asked whether he feels justice has been done, now that film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in jail, while first assistant director Dave Halls took a plea deal for negligence with a deadly weapon. Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but his case was dismissed.

“I don’t know, and I don’t know what that even is anymore — I’ll be very honest with you about that,” Souza said about whether justice was served. “No one...

Joel Souza, who directed the ill-fated movie Rust, wished for his own death after the bullet that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set also struck him in October 2021. In an in-depth Vanity Fair interview, the filmmaker explained that the bullet he took in his shoulder missed his lungs “by this much” and narrowly missed his spine. He learned of Hutchins’ death in his ER room. Asked if he felt grateful to be alive, Souza said no.

“I remember specifically going to sleep that night and hoping I didn’t wake up the next morning,...

“Rust” director Joel Souza has given his first interview about the shooting that occurred on set in October 2021, where a prop gun held by star Alec Baldwin fired a live bullet that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and seriously injured Souza. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Souza opened up about the experience of being shot, deciding to finish the film and why he and Baldwin now have “no relationship.”

“It’s bizarre to have been shot,” Souza said. “And then, who was holding the gun? That’s bizarre. I had this weird thought, like, ‘God, I remember watching ”The Hunt for Red October’ in the movie theater when I was a kid. It’s like your older self whispers to your younger self, ‘Hey, that guy…someday…’”

Souza was standing behind Hutchins directing a scene when the gun fired, hitting Hutchins in the chest and striking Souza in the shoulder. He told...

In a stunning twist on Friday, the New Mexico judge in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial dismissed the case after ruling that prosecutors hid rounds of bullets that may have been linked to the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

On the third day of proceedings in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer agreed with a motion by Baldwin’s defence team earlier in the day that the ammunition had not been disclosed to them as required under evidence rules.

The defence had argued that live rounds recovered by Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office were not...

In a stunning twist on Friday, the New Mexico judge in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial dismissed the case after ruling that prosecutors hid rounds of bullets that may have been linked to the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

On the third day of proceedings in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer agreed with a motion by Baldwin’s defence team earlier in the day that the ammunition had not been disclosed to them as required under evidence rules.

The defence had argued that live rounds recovered by Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office were not...

Alec Baldwin’s criminal case, stemming from the involuntary shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in October 2021, has been dismissed after a judge determined that prosecutors withheld crucial evidence.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case on Friday (July 12th) after determining that prosecutors had withheld crucial evidence that may have explained how live ammunition ended up on the film’s set. “The state is highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant,” Variety reports Marlowe Sommer saying. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”

The crucial evidence, which the judge examined herself in the courtroom, consisted of bullets the defense claimed were hidden by the prosecution, after being logged under a different case number. Lead prosecutor Kari Morrissey, identified by a witness as one of the people responsible for that decision, called herself to the witness stand to assert that she...

The jury in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Alec Baldwin has been sent home on the third day after the defence filed a motion to dismiss the case.

Baldwin’s defence team told Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer that prosecutors hid evidence relating to ammunition that may be relevant in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set in New Mexico on October 21, 2021.

The 66-year-old actor’s defence team has argued their client did nothing wrong on the fateful day when a Colt .45 prop gun went off in his hand, hitting Hutchins, who died later that day.

Baldwin’s lead defence...

On October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed when a live round discharged from a prop gun on the set of the indie Western film “Rust.” The man holding the gun: Alec Baldwin.

For the last three years, the ins and outs of what went wrong on that day have consumed Hollywood. Few, though, imagined it might get this far, with Alec Baldwin set to stand trial in New Mexico on a charge of involuntary manslaughter that could land him in prison.

Jury selection began Tuesday, July 9, with Baldwin already in attendance in court following a pre-trial hearing on Monday that even handed Baldwin’s legal team an early victory (more on that later).

We’ll be updating this space with some of the most notable updates from the trial, which will be streaming live starting tomorrow via CourtTV and Law & Crime Network on YouTube.

But how did we get here,...

Alec Baldwin is either a man who recklessly violated the “cardinal rule” of gun safety or a “shiny object” for a couple of New Mexico prosecutors who don’t have a case. Those are the arguments special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson and Baldwin’s defense attorney Alex Spiro made Wednesday morning as Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial got underway in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

With his brother Stephen and wife, Hilaria, seated in the courtroom behind him, Baldwin watched as Johnson told the jury that the 30 Rock star should be held criminally liable in the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin “played make believe with a real gun and violated the cardinal rule of firearm safety” Johnson said, laying out how the state plans to use video, ballistics evidence and expert testimony in its case against the actor. “He pointed the gun at another human being, cocked the hammer...

Santa Fe, N.M. — A prosecutor told jurors Wednesday that Alec Baldwin violated the cardinal rules of gun safety while playing “make believe” on the set of “Rust,” resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, one of two special prosecutors on the case, argued in her opening statement that Baldwin repeatedly violated film industry gun protocols in the days leading up to the fatal shooting. She also faulted him for failing to check his gun with armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who had mistakenly loaded it with a live bullet.

“The defendant didn’t do a gun safety check with that inexperienced armorer,” Johnson said. “He pointed the gun at another human being, cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger in reckless disregard for Ms. Hutchins’ safety.”

In his opening statement, defense attorney Alex Spiro argued that it was not Baldwin’s responsibility to check the gun,...

Prosecutors and defence attorneys have presented opening remarks on the first day of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial in relation to the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson told a jury in the New Mexico courtroom on Wednesday morning they must find Baldwin guilty after he did not perform a safety check before a Colt .45 prop gun went off in his hands during rehearsal at Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021.

A live bullet shot out of the gun and hit Hutchins who later died that day in hospital...

Nearly three years after accidentally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, actor Alec Baldwin gets his day in court on Wednesday, as his involuntary manslaughter trial begins in Santa Fe, N.M.

Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, a defense lawyer who was appointed by the Santa Fe D.A.’s office as one of two special prosecutors in the case, will deliver an opening statement.

She is expected to lay out a road map for the panel of 16 jurors, including four alternates, explaining what happened on the set of “Rust,” and why the state believes Baldwin is guilty.

The state must prove that Baldwin was “reckless, wanton and willful” when he aimed his Colt .45 at Hutchins and pulled the trigger. Prosecutors are expected to go to lengths to persuade the jury that Baldwin did, in fact, fire the gun. To prove that it was in proper working order, the state is expected to rely...

Alec Baldwin lost his bid Friday to get his involuntary manslaughter case dismissed. A judge in New Mexico denied his request and upheld his indictment after a testy hearing last week. The new ruling means the actor remains on track to begin a jury trial in July over claims he aimed a prop gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and fired the live bullet that killed her during production of the western movie Rust in 2021.

Baldwin, 66, has pleaded not guilty, claiming he’s not responsible for the deadly shooting because he...

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer on the set of Rust at the time of an accidental shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Gutierrez-Reed was convicted by a 12-person jury on March 6th, after less than three hours of deliberation. In a split verdict, Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted of separate charges of evidence tampering.

The charges against Gutierrez-Reed stemmed from the accidental shooting of Hutchins on the set of the western Rust in October 2021. Actor/producer Alec Baldwin was handling the gun when it accidentally fired, hitting Hutchins in the stomach and director Joel Souza in the shoulder; Hutchins died after being transported to the hospital.

During the trial, Gutierrez-Reed’s defense claimed she was being treated as a “convenient scapegoat” by “higher-ups” involved in Rust, including Baldwin and other producers, and cited an Osha ruling that she...

Prosecutors intend to argue that Alec Baldwin could not control his emotions on the set of “Rust,” and that he “shamelessly lied” and repeatedly changed his story after accidentally shooting the film’s cinematographer.

The actor is due to go on trial in July in Santa Fe, N.M., on a charge of involuntary manslaughter for firing a prop gun and killing Halyna Hutchins. In a 32-page filing made public on Monday, prosecutor Kari Morrissey laid out the allegations against Baldwin in unprecedented detail.

She argued that Baldwin would scream and curse at himself and others on set, sometimes for no particular reason, and that his behavior contributed to safety failures.

“To watch Mr. Baldwin’s conduct on the set of ‘Rust’ is to witness a man who has absolutely no control of his own emotions and absolutely no concern for how his conduct affects those around him,” Morrissey wrote.

Hollywood star Alec Baldwin, who is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, was offered a deal last October to plead to a misdemeanour.

According to a filing made public, he apparently served no jail time in the accidental shooting on the set of ‘Rust’, reports ‘Variety’.

But before he could decide whether to accept the terms, prosecutors withdrew the offer and told his lawyers they would seek to indict him, the filing states.

As per ‘Variety’, Baldwin was indicted in January on a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, and now faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted at trial in July.

The latest revelation about the retracted plea offer was included among hundreds of pages of material made public on Friday as part of Baldwin’s effort to throw out the case.

According to the documents, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey offered “a plea...

Alec Baldwin was offered a deal last October to plead to a misdemeanor — and apparently serve no jail time — in the accidental shooting on the set of “Rust,” according to a filing made public on Friday.

But before he could decide whether to accept the terms, prosecutors withdrew the offer and told his lawyers they would seek to indict him, the filing states.

Baldwin was indicted in January on a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and now faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted at trial in July.

The latest revelation about the retracted plea offer was included among hundreds of pages of material made public Friday as part of Baldwin’s effort to throw out the case.

According to the documents, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey offered “a plea deal identical to the petty misdemeanor deal accepted by Dave Halls.”

Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,...

Attorneys for Alec Baldwin have filed a motion to dismiss the manslaughter charge made against him in connection to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust,” accusing special prosecutors for the New Mexico District Attorney of “abuse of the system.”

Baldwin was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly pointing a gun at Hutchins during rehearsal of a scene. The gun, which contained live ammunition unbeknownst to Baldwin, fired and fatally struck Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Baldwin has been accused of pulling the trigger on the gun, which the actor denies.

In the motion filed on Thursday, Baldwin’s attorneys accused special prosecutor Kari Morrissey of failing to inform the grand jury that indicted the actor and producer of the availability of witnesses who would have testified that it was not the actor’s duty to inspect the gun he was holding.

Alec Baldwin’s lawyers asked a judge on Thursday to throw out his manslaughter case, accusing prosecutors of “violating nearly every rule in the book” in the course of obtaining an indictment.

The attorneys argued that prosecutors leaked information to the press, failed to present exculpatory evidence to the grand jury, and gave a faulty jury instruction on involuntary manslaughter that “stacked the deck” against Baldwin.

“Enough is enough,” the lawyers wrote. “This is an abuse of the system, and an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme.”

Baldwin was indicted in January and is scheduled to face a trial on July 9 in Santa Fe, N.M.

He is accused of criminal negligence for allegedly pointing a gun at “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and pulling the trigger. Baldwin was unaware that the gun was loaded with a live bullet. Hutchins was killed and the film’s director,...

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer on the ill-fated Western film “Rust,” was convicted on Wednesday of involuntary manslaughter in the death of the film’s cinematographer.

Jurors returned a verdict after less than three hours of deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, following two weeks of testimony about safety lapses on set.

Gutierrez Reed was acquitted of a separate charge of tampering with evidence. She faces up to 18 months in prison at sentencing, which is expected sometime in April.

Following the verdict, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ordered Gutierrez Reed remanded into custody. As her attorney, Monnica Barreras, rubbed her back to comfort her, bailiffs led her away.

Outside the First Judicial District courthouse in Santa Fe, N.M., juror Alberto Sanchez told reporters that the jury reached a “fair” verdict.

“Someone died,” Sanchez said. “You gotta take responsibility. Especially when you’re handling weapons and you’re in charge of those. That’s your job.

Before Alec Baldwin accidentally discharged the prop weapon that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the western movie Rust two years ago, he was recorded rushing reloads with the film’s armorer for a different scene.

“One more! One more! One more! I forgot to recall stuff. No, no, right away! Right away! Let’s reload!” Baldwin shouted at crew members shortly after he emerged from a wooden shed with the cameras rolling, fired six blank rounds, and then stopped himself short. “Here we go! Come on!”

With the...

The involuntary manslaughter trial of Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed got underway in a New Mexico courtroom on Thursday when the prosecution said her negligent and “sloppy” conduct led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Prosecutor Jason Lewis claimed Gutierrez-Reed, 27, who was 24 at the time of the tragedy, failed to properly check the prop gun she handed to Alec Baldwin.

The weapon in Baldwin’s hand discharged during a rehearsal at Bonanza Creek Ranch, Santa Fe, on October 21 2021, and hit Hutchins (pictured), who died hours later in hospital. It was later found the gun contained a live round.

Lawyers said...

On Oct. 21, 2021, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, then 24, arrived at the Bonanza Creek Ranch just south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, an hour or so before sunrise and reported to her job as the armorer and props assistant on the set of the low-budget indie Western Rust. She took a Covid test, swung by the catering tent and headed to the prop truck to prepare weapons the cast would need that day, including Alec Baldwin’s gun, a long Colt .45 revolver, which she loaded with what she has said she thought were dummy rounds.

When first assistant director Dave Halls called for Gutierrez-Reed on a walkie-talkie, she walked to a church set on the edge of the ranch’s mock Western town and approached Halls, seated in a pew with director of photography Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza, conferring about the schedule. That morning, most of the camera crew had walked off...

A day before Alec Baldwin was scheduled to be arraigned on new charges in the fatal 2021 shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the actor has entered a not guilty plea.

Facing a prison sentence of 18 months to three years if found guilty, Baldwin was re-charged by a New Mexico grand jury January 19, a year to the day he was originally charged over Hutchins’ death. Due in no small part to incompetence by the initial investigators, those charges were dropped in April 2023 but never entirely disregarded by prosecutors.

Now Baldwin is charged with involuntary manslaughter (negligent use of a firearm), a lesser charge, and involuntary manslaughter (without due caution or circumspection).

“The above-named defendant did cause the death of Halyna Hutchins by an act committed with the total disregard or indifference to the safety of others, and the act was such that an ordinary person would anticipate that death might occur under the circumstances,...

The fallout from the tragic 2021 accident during the filming of "Rust," the Alec Baldwin-starring Western that became the center of renewed conversations about on-set gun safety, continues to unfold. A grand jury has indicted Baldwin on a charge of involuntary manslaughter for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, The New York Times reports. 

Hutchins was fatally wounded when a live round was inadvertently loaded into a prop gun held by Baldwin during rehearsals and subsequently fired. Director Joel Souza was also struck by the bullet and wounded. What followed was years of legal back-and-forth over which members of the production ultimately bears responsibility for her death, with much of the spotlight focusing on Baldwin as both producer and the main actor on set that day.

The news of Baldwin's indictment comes down a year to the day since it was originally reported that the actor faced such a criminal...

Alec Baldwin has once again been indicted on involuntarily manslaughter charges stemming from the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.

Baldwin previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in February 2023, but prosecutors in New Mexico ultimately dismissed the charges against the actor in April 2023 before he went to trial.

However, with new prosecutors assigned to the case since the dismissal, a grand jury voted to revive the criminal case against Baldwin. In the indictment obtained by Rolling Stone, the...

Alec Baldwin is once again facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter after a New Mexico grand jury revived the case against the actor by issuing an indictment on Friday.

The charge stems for the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in October 2021. Baldwin was handling the gun when it accidentally fired, hitting Hutchins in the stomach and director Joel Souza in the shoulder; Hutchins died after being transported to the hospital.

Initial charges against Baldwin were dropped in April 2023. However, last fall prosecutors announced their intention to refile an involuntary manslaughter charge after new evidence emerged contradicting Baldwin’s previous claim that he didn’t pull the trigger.

In New Mexico, an involuntary manslaughter conviction carries up to 18 months in prison.

The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, while its assistant director, Dave Halls, accepted a plea...

A grand jury in New Mexico is again bringing charges against Alec Baldwin of involuntary manslaughter in the “Rust” case that over two years ago resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The grand jury issued the indictment on Friday, January 19, with the indictment coming down exactly one year after the original, again occurring while much of Hollywood is at Sundance.

Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis on November 16 convened a grand jury and brought the charges after the previous case as led by New Mexico’s District Attorney fell apart. In New Mexico, an involuntary manslaughter charge should Baldwin be convicted could carry a maximum of 18 months in prison.

“We look forward to our day in court,” Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel said in a statement to IndieWire.

The special prosecutors in October announced their intentions to re-charge Baldwin, saying they...

New footage of Alec Baldwin firing prop guns and advising crew members on firearm safety on the set of “Rust” has been released by NBC News one day before a grand jury is set to consider new involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor in connection to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The five videos, which total about seven minutes in length and which you can watch above, show Baldwin rehearsing scenes while firing the guns loaded with blanks and, in two videos, asking some crew members to move for safety reasons. The videos were recorded days before a gun being held by Baldwin fired a live round, killing Hutchins and wounding “Rust” director Joel Souza.

According to NBC News, the videos are just a few of dozens of videos on the “Rust” set that special prosecutors for the Santa Fe District Attorney’s office received last month. On Oct.

New Mexico prosecutors will convene a grand jury to weigh recharging Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of the cinematographer on the set of Rust, marking the latest turn in a case that has drawn widespread attention for high-profile blunders by the prosecution and igniting discussion of set safety on low-budget movies.

The decision comes after a five-month investigation that culminated with a forensic expert issuing a report clashing with an account of the incident from Baldwin, who maintained that he did not pull the trigger on the firearm when it discharged. New Mexico prosecutors in April dropped charges against the actor to review new evidence suggesting that the gun he was holding had been modified. They reserved the ability to refile charges.

In a statement, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said that “additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin...

Alec Baldwin may be facing a new involuntary manslaughter charge as evidence is said to allegedly prove the “Rust” actor fired the prop gun that fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Initial charges against Baldwin were dropped in April 2023 after District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies stepped away from the prosecution. At the time, joint prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis issued a statement claiming that “new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis in the case against” Baldwin.

Now, the findings of the further investigation have been made public. Per The New York Times, New Mexico prosecutors will convene a grand jury to consider refiling the involuntary manslaughter charge against actor and “Rust” executive producer Baldwin following cinematographer Hutchins’ death in 2021.

“We believe that based on our lengthy and detailed investigation that it is appropriate for a grand jury in New Mexico to make a decision on whether the case should proceed,...

The production entity for Rust must turn over records that could indicate whether Alec Baldwin shirked industry-wide norms on set safety to shoot the movie on a shoestring budget, a judge has ruled on Tuesday.

In what could be a prelude to the refiling of charges against the movie’s actor and producer, prosecutors are seeking documents between Rust Movie Productions and Alec Baldwin, as well as his production company El Dorado Pictures. They’re looking into the possibility that Baldwin stood to profit if he cut corners on set safety related to the use of guns.

The records could help Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in the fatal shooting of the movie’s cinematographer when a gun Baldwin was holding discharged. She’s argued that she was stopped from adequately performing her job by the movie’s producers, who she claims denied...

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in connection to the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film’s New Mexico set.

Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers had previously attempted to have the charges against their client dismissed; however, at Thursday’s hearing, the judge found that prosecutors had provided sufficient evidence to charge Gutierrez-Reed, who entered the written plea of not guilty, setting the stage for a December 2023 trial.

In June, prosecutors argued in support of charging Gutierrez-Reed, alleging...

Prosecutors allege that Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed “heavily” drank alcohol and smoked marijuana the night before a prop gun on the film set was discharged and resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers previously sought to have the involuntary manslaughter charge against the armorer dropped, but a response by Santa Fe prosecutors — filed last week and obtained by Rolling Stone — detailed why they believe Gutierrez-Reed should face the charges, even as others have either reached plea deals or had the charges dropped.

“Ms. Gutierrez is not being selectively prosecuted.

Filming on Rust, the upcoming western film starring Alec Baldwin, has wrapped after nearly two full years. Production had initially planned to have the film completed in 21 days, but on the 12th day of shooting, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set and director Joel Souza was injured after Baldwin discharged a prop gun with a live round. Following a lengthy break and a slew of lawsuits surrounding the incident, the film resumed production in April. Now, in a recent Instagram post, the actor described finally completing the film...

Updated with latest court hearing information: The New Mexico criminal case against Alec Baldwin for the on-set death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021 is officially closed.

Following yesterday’s exclusive by Deadline that involuntary manslaughter charges against the star-producer of the indie Western would be dropped, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis official filed the paperwork Friday to bring the matter to a conclusion, for now.

“Come now, the State of New Mexico, by and through special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis, and enters a nolle prosequi in the above-numbered and styled cause, as new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis which cannot be completed before the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing,” the recently appointed duo said today. “The case is dismissed without prejudice and the investigation is active and on-going.”

To that end, while Baldwin will not face charges now, “without...

”This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled.”

Update: Rust prosecutors have dropped involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin but are continuing the investigation and warned they may refile charges.

Special prosecutors special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis issued the following statement n Thursday evening: ”Over the last few days and in preparation for the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing, new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis in the case against Alexander “Alec” Rae Baldwin, III.

”Consequently, we cannot proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and...

Los Angeles, April 21 (Ians) Prosecutors are expected to drop manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the death of ‘Rust’ cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

In a statement on Thursday evening, the special prosecutors in the case said that new facts had come to light that make it impossible to proceed against Baldwin in the time allotted, reports Variety.

The prosecutors, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, said that the investigation remains “active and ongoing,” and that charges could be refiled later on.

Baldwin’s lawyers said in their own statement that they were pleased with the outcome.

Baldwin was charged in January with involuntary manslaughter for the accidental shooting on the set of ‘Rust’, which took place in October 2021. He could have faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors accused him of negligently firing his Colt. 45 during set-up for a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch. Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger,...

Alec Baldwin today thanked two rather disparate people in responding to New Mexico dropping criminal charges today against him in the on-set shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning star’s first public comments on the surprise development came in an Instagram post. Under a doting photo of Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria, the actor added the caption: “I owe everything I have to this woman (and to you Luke).”

The latter is a nod to Luke Nikas, Baldwin’s attorney in the Rust case.

Today’s news about the charges surrounding the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set in October 2021 came less than two weeks before a mini-trial was scheduled to begin in New Mexico. A virtual status conference in the case has been scheduled for April 21 before Judge Mary Marlow Sommer.

Baldwin and Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged in...

Spokesperson for Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office had not commented at time of writing.

Involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in relation to the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins are expected to be dropped, according to the actor-producer’s lawyers.

“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office had not replied to a request for a comment at time of writing.

Alec Baldwin will no longer face charges in the accidental shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the actor’s lawyers tell Rolling Stone.

“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro.

A rep for the First Judicial District Attorney’s office in New Mexico did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment, nor did the two special prosecutors overseeing the case.

Prosecutors in New Mexico have dropped criminal charges against Alec Baldwin for his involvement in the shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Variety reports that New Mexico’s First Judicial District Attorney informed Baldwin’s attorneys that it will no longer be pursing an involuntary manslaughter case against the actor. Previously prosecutors dropped a firearm enhancement charge in the case.

“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, said in a statement.

On October 21st, 2021, Baldwin was practicing drawing an old-fashioned revolver while rehearsing on the set of the western film Rust near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The gun fired, hitting Hutchins in the stomach and director Joel Souza in the shoulder; Hutchins died after being transported to the hospital.

Baldwin...

Prosecutors are expected to drop manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, sources confirmed on Thursday.

In a statement, Baldwin’s lawyers said they were pleased with the outcome.

“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said the lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro.

Baldwin was charged in January with involuntary manslaughter for the accidental shooting on the set of “Rust,” which took place in October 2021. He could have faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors accused him of negligently firing his Colt .45 during set-up for a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch. Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger, and had no idea that the gun might contain a live round.

The D.A. has also filed charges against Hannah Gutierrez Reed,...

Alec Baldwin’s Western film Rust is set to begin filming again this week, according to a representative for the production company. Rust Move Productions attorney Melina Spadone said work on the movie will resume today, 18 months after Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set.

Baldwin will continue his involvement as an actor and co-producer. Montana’s Yellowstone Film Ranch will be used instead of the original location in New Mexico, where the shooting took place. Earlier this year, it was announced that Bianca Cline will take over as cinematographer.

Dave Halls, who worked as an assistant director on Rust, became the first person involved with the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins to face accountability after entering a plea of no contest on Friday, March 31.

As Variety reports, Hall appeared remotely for a hearing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and entered the no-contest plea to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. Halls will not face any jail time and will serve six months of unsupervised probation.

Halls was among the figures on the Rust...