New Mexico prosecutors have made up their minds about the infamousRustshooting. Authorities have decided to file charges against Alec Baldwin for his part in the incident that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The development comes more than one year after theRusttragedy, which took place on June 21, 2025, but likely takes into consideration previous findings from the FBI that contradicted Baldwin’s defense that he did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins. For his part, last year, just a couple of weeks before the accident’s anniversary,Baldwin settled the civil court casefiled against him by Hutchins' family, leaving only the possibility of criminal charges pending for Baldwin.
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As noted byThe Hollywood Reporter, Mary Carmack-Altwies, district attorney at Santa Fe County, will charge Baldwin andRustarmorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed each with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The DA stated that after succinctly going over “the evidence and the laws of the state of New Mexico […] there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against Alec Baldwin and other members of the ‘Rust’ film crew." They highlighted the importance that no person should be above the law for justice to be served.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed’s responsibility will be determined by a jury that decides not only that but also which type of manslaughter applies to the case. If found guilty, the potential jail time reaches up to 5 years in the worst-case scenario for them. Officially, charges have not been filed yet, though the DA’s office expects that to occur in January before setting a preliminary hearing within the next 60 days.
Previously,Rust’s Assistant director David Halls signed a plea deal that will see him face a suspended sentence and six months probation for his responsibility in the case, with special prosecutor Andrea Reeb declaring that if all parties involved “had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today.” Most perplexing is thatRustis scheduled to resume production this month, but it’s unclear how news of Baldwin facing charges could affect those plans.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied firing the gunshotthat killed Hutchins, but with the FBI dismissing that statement, the actor’s outlook seemed bleak months ago. Even ifRustis finished in 2023, the film’s mishandling of on-set security and weaponry has made it notorious. Furthermore, Halyna Hutchins' tragic death is a touchy subject unlikely to fade anytime soon.
