Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to ‘Rust’ shooting charge

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By Priscila DeGregory and Allie Griffin

Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty once again to involuntary manslaughter Wednesday in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.”

The actor pleaded guilty in a court filing in which he waived his right to an arraignment scheduled for Thursday.

Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico on January 19 for the 2021 set shooting.

Hutchins was hit and killed by a .45 bullet from an antique six-shooter that Baldwin was aiming at during the filming of the western in October of that year.

The gun was real, not a prop, but it should have been loaded with fake bullets.

Baldwin, who starred in the film and also served as executive producer, maintained that he never pulled the trigger. But the FBI ruled that the revolver could not have been fired without pulling the trigger.

The actor had already been previously accused of the same crime by the Santa Fe prosecutor’s office in January 2022.

He also pleaded not guilty at the time, but the case eventually fell apart and charges were dropped in April of that year after the court determined that more evidence was needed on the firearm that killed Hutchins, a married woman from 42 years old and mother of one son.

Still, the district attorney made it clear that it was not the end of the case at that point and that future charges could arise.

Prosecutors also charged “Rust” gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 27, who supervised the weapons on the film’s set, with the same crime. She has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

If convicted, Baldwin could face 18 months in prison.

Filming on “Rust” continued in Montana in April of last year and wrapped the following month.