It’s almost hard to believe it, but it’s been a few years since the tragic shooting on the set of Rust, which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Since then the public has watched the investigation occur, and followed Alec Baldwin’s legal battle related to Western. While Baldwin previously got some good news regarding to his defense, it looks like the Rust trial might be going to a grand jury. So he’s not out of the woods yet.
Alec Baldwin was reportedly holding the prop gun when it surprisingly discharged and fired a round that killed Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. Since he’s also a producer on the movie, plenty of blame has been put on the 30 Rock alum over the years. Baldwin was eventually charged with involuntary manslaughter, and has been working with his legal team on his defense. A new report by Today has revealed that New Mexico prosecutors are set on re-charging Bladwin with manslaughter. One source also revealed that the case will be brought to a Grand Jury in November.
This latest update is no doubt going to go viral, given the public’s ongoing interest in what happened on the set of Rust. Per the insiders who spoke to NBC, a plea deal was recently rescinded over the weekend. So if this report is to be believed, there’s a possibility that Baldwin might end up in court while facing the charges.
One of the sources also claimed that the investigation gave no evidence that the prop gun was modified or altered. And as such, it might indicate that Baldwin was personally responsible or reckless with the weapon. Only time will tell. His legal team issued a response to this latest turn of events, which reads:
It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution. We will answer any charges in court.
Halyna Hutchins’ death on the Rust set resulted in waves being set across the entertainment industry, specifically related to gun safety on set. Some folks like Dwayne Johnson vowed to stop using real guns on film projects, despite it being more expensive to fix the prop guns in post. If Baldwin is convicted, he could face up to 18 months in prison .
Only time will tell how things ultimately shake up in court, but the public will likely be following along with every update. Despite the tragedy on the set, Rust was making plans to resume filming. But I have to wonder if/when this will begin given Baldwin’s charges as well as the ongoing strikes.
It’s currently unclear if/when Rust will be completed. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.