In an indictment in January, Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Helena Hutchins on October 21, 2021, at a movie ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe.

Baldwin, lead actor and co-producer of the western “Rust,” has pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyers are asking for a dismissal. He has argued that prosecutors violated the rules of grand jury proceedings to divert attention from exculpatory evidence and witnesses. The charge of involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum punishment of 1.5 years in prison.

During rehearsals, Baldwin was aiming a gun at cinematographer Helena Hutchins when the revolver fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin says he pulled the gun’s hammer, but not the trigger.

Baldwin’s motion to dismiss the indictment also argues that the grand jury received inaccurate and one-sided testimony about the revolver involved in the fatal shooting.

Special prosecutors say they followed grand jury protocol and accuse Baldwin of “shameful” efforts to avoid blame, highlighting contradictions in his statements to law enforcement, workplace safety regulators and a television interview. A jury trial is scheduled for July.

Prosecutors turned their full attention to Baldwin when a judge in April sentenced film weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to the maximum sentence of 1.5 years in the state penitentiary on a conviction of involuntary manslaughter for Hutchins’ death.

Prosecutors last year dismissed an earlier involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin after they were told that the gun he had was probably modified and damaged before the shooting. Last year a new analysis of the gun enabled prosecutors to reopen the case.

The indictment against Baldwin offers two potential standards for prosecutors to pursue. Would be based on negligent use of a firearm. One option is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Baldwin caused Hutchins’ death without “reasonable caution” or “vigilance”, also known as “an act done with complete disregard or indifference for the safety of others”. Has been defined.

Defense attorneys also say that prosecutors kept the grand jury from witness testimony, including the film’s director, as well as assistant director and security coordinator Dave Halls and props master Sarah Zachary. Halls pleaded no contest last year to careless handling of a firearm and served a sentence of six months of unsupervised probation.

Gutierrez-Reed’s two-week trial gave Baldwin’s lawyers and the public an unusual window into how the actor’s own trial might unfold.

Baldwin featured prominently in testimony and closing arguments, which highlighted his authority as co-creator and lead actor on “Rust.” Both the prosecution and defense in Gutierrez-Reed’s trial dissected video footage of Baldwin before the fatal shooting for clues about a firearm safety malfunction.

Prosecutors said Gutierrez-Reed unknowingly brought live ammunition onto the set of “Rust,” where it was explicitly prohibited, and failed to follow basic gun safety protocols.

Gutierrez-Reed is appealing the sentence handed down by a jury in March to a higher court, but has not yet filed detailed arguments. At sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed told the judge that she tried to do her best on set despite not having “proper time, resources and staffing.”

After shooting in New Mexico, filming of “Rust” resumed, but in Montana, under an agreement with Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, that made him an executive producer. The wrongful death suit in civil court by Matthew Hutchins and Hutchins’ son was settled under undisclosed terms.

Defense attorneys say Baldwin was offered a deal to plead to a “minor offense” before a grand jury was convened last year, but the offer was “inexplicably withdrawn” before the deadline to respond. Went”.

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