Alec Baldwin pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday, following a grand jury indictment that revived the criminal case against him for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021.
From the beginning, Mr. Baldwin has denied responsibility for the death of the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, saying that he had no reason to believe there were live rounds on set that day, and that there were crew members responsible for ensuring the gun was safe.
The prosecution of the actor, 65, has seen some dramatic twists over the past year: The original criminal case, brought by the local district attorney’s office, fell apart.
After the initial charge was dismissed last year by a new team of special prosecutors, Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis, they decided to bring the case to a grand jury in New Mexico.
Mr. Baldwin’s lawyers have called the prosecution “misguided” and, in a court filing, pushed for urgency in the court proceedings to “minimize public vilification and suspicion” against Mr. Baldwin and “avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after lengthy delays in prosecution.”
Persons:
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Locations:
New Mexico