Special prosecutors presented the case before a grand jury in Santa Fe after months of reviewing a fresh analysis of the firearm involved in the incident. Baldwin, who served as the lead actor and co-producer on the Western film "Rust," was handling a gun during a rehearsal outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when it discharged, fatally injuring Hutchins and causing injuries to director Joel Souza.
Baldwin maintains that he pulled back the hammer but did not pull the trigger, attributing the accidental firing of the gun to an unforeseen malfunction.
Recently, judges agreed to suspend several civil lawsuits seeking compensation from Baldwin and the producers of "Rust" while prosecutors pursued charges before the grand jury. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits include members of the film crew.
Special prosecutors initially dropped an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in April, citing information suggesting possible modifications to the gun before the shooting. However, a renewed analysis prompted a reconsideration, leading to the indictment.
Ballistics and forensic testing experts conducted the analysis, reassembling the firearm used by Baldwin after parts were damaged during FBI testing. The report concluded that the trigger had to be pulled or depressed, contradicting Baldwin's claims of not pulling the trigger.
Lucien Haag, leading the analysis at Forensic Science Services in Arizona, stated, "Given the tests, findings, and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the movie set, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering, with her trial scheduled for February. Rust assistant director David Halls previously pleaded no contest to unsafe firearm handling, cooperating in the investigation.
An earlier FBI report highlighted the gun's design, suggesting it could discharge without trigger action if force was applied to an uncocked hammer, such as dropping the weapon. The Rust Movie Productions company paid a $100,000 fine to workplace safety regulators, addressing safety protocol failures.
Civil lawsuits, including wrongful death claims from Hutchins' family, continue to unfold, alleging negligence in safety standards. Filming for "Rust" resumed in Montana last year under an agreement with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' widower, Matthew Hutchins, who now serves as an executive producer.
