SANTA FE,USA — In a surprising turn of events, a grand jury has issued an indictment against actor Alec Baldwin on Friday, charging him with involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in a fatal shooting that occurred during a rehearsal on a movie set in New Mexico in 2021. The case, previously dormant, has been revived by special prosecutors who presented their findings to the grand jury in Santa Fe this week.
The decision to bring charges follows months of analysis of the firearm used in the incident. Special prosecutors, who remained tight-lipped about the proceedings, spent approximately a day and a half presenting their case to the grand jury, leaving many questions unanswered.
Baldwin’s defense team, led by attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, has signaled their intention to vigorously contest the charge. In an email statement, they stated, “We look forward to our day in court.”
While details of the grand jury proceedings remain undisclosed, witnesses spotted at the courthouse included crew members, including one who was present when the fatal shot occurred and another who had walked off the set a day prior due to safety concerns.
The incident in question took place during the rehearsal for the Western movie “Rust,” where Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Tragically, the gun discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has maintained that he pulled back the hammer but did not pull the trigger, attributing the discharge to an unexpected event.
This new charge has once again entangled Baldwin in legal troubles and raises the specter of potential prison time for the actor, whose career has spanned nearly four decades, with notable roles in productions such as “The Hunt for Red October,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed,” and the popular sitcom “30 Rock.”