In Santa Fe, New Mexico, actor Alec Baldwin, 65, officially said he didn’t do it. He entered a “not guilty” plea for the involuntary manslaughter charges related to the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set in 2021. This happened during a court session where he chose not to have a formal arraignment, showing he’s ready to fight the accusations against him following the incident on the movie set of Rust.
The shooting on the set of Rust has been under a microscope since it happened. Baldwin was rehearsing a scene, handling a gun, when it went off, killing Halyna Hutchins and injuring Joel Souza. It’s sparked a lot of talk about safety rules for movies, especially when it comes to handling props like guns.
At first, things looked okay for Baldwin legally. Charges got dropped because there were questions about whether the gun was messed with. But then a grand jury brought the charges back after an investigation over the past several months, which had brought to light additional facts that may show Alec Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins and the shooting of Joel Souza on the set of Rust. Alec Baldwin is looking at up to 18 months in prison if he’s found guilty.
Alec Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger before the gun fired. He also has said the gun had been declared “cold,” with no live ammunition, by assistant director Dave Halls.
The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA criticized the charges and said the charges were based on “an incorrect assessment of the actual duties of an actor.”
RELATED: ‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’: Daisy Ridley Talks Star Wars Stress And New Sundance Film
“An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert,” the union said. “Firearms are provided for use on set under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.”
Baldwin’s been saying he didn’t know the gun had real bullets. He thought they were blanks, like the kind used in movies to make fake gunfire. His defense is all about saying it was just a terrible accident, not something he did on purpose.
Baldwin’s lawyers have filed a request for a quick trial in order to “minimize public vilification and suspicion and to avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after a lengthy delay in prosecution.”
But this case is bigger than just Baldwin. It’s making people ask hard questions about how guns are handled on sets and who’s responsible for making sure everyone’s safe. The person in charge of the guns on Rust, Hannah Gutierrez, is facing her own charges for what happened. It’s a reminder that not following the safety rules can have serious consequences.
The tragedy has also made people in the movie industry think about what needs to change to keep everyone safe. They’re talking about better training and more rules to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
As the Rust actor’s case moves forward, the focus is on getting justice for Hutchins and Souza while also making sure there are better safety measures in place for future movie shoots. His plea of not guilty is just the start of a long legal battle that could change how things are done in Hollywood.
Leave a Reply