Halyna Hutchins' family members respond to new Alec Baldwin indictment
Santa Fe, New Mexico - An attorney for the family of slain cinematographer Halyna Hutchins said her clients welcomed the upcoming criminal trial of Alec Baldwin after a New Mexico grand jury charged the star with involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin was indicted once again for his role in the deadly shooting on the set of the movie Rust.
"Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed on October 21, 2021," read the statement released Friday by the office of attorney Gloria Allred.
"They continue to seek the truth in our civil lawsuit for them and they also would like there to be accountability in the criminal justice system."
While rehearsing on set, Baldwin pointed a prop gun in the direction of Hutchins and director Joel Souza. The gun accidentally discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza.
Baldwin has maintained he didn't pull the trigger, but a firearms expert brought in by prosecutors reported the trigger would have had to be pulled to discharge the weapon.
If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison.
Baldwin legal woes deepen
The Friday indictment, signed by special prosecutor Kari. T. Morrissey, marks the second time Baldwin has been charged in Hutchins' death. Santa Fe County District Attorney Mark Carmack-Altwies had filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor-producer and the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed.
However, Carmack-Altwies stepped down from the case and Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis, taking over as special prosecutors, dropped the charges, saying there were "new facts" that demanded further investigation.
Gutierrez Reed is scheduled to face trial February 21 for the involuntary manslaughter charges against her.
Allred represents Hutchins' parents Olga Solovey and Anatolii Androsovych and her sister Svetlana Zemko in a lawsuit filed last year that alleged battery and negligence against Baldwin and other producers and members of the production, who have denied wrongdoing.
Allred's client also includes Rust script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, who also is suing Baldwin and others connected to the production.
Hutchins' husband and son previously sued Baldwin and the film's producers in New Mexico. That lawsuit was settled in 2022.
Cover photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP