Judge denies motion to dismiss indictment against Alec Baldwin in ‘Rust’ shooting case

A judge in New Mexico denied Alec Baldwin’s motion to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter indictment against him in the “Rust” fatal shooting case, connected to the 2021 death of the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

A judge in New Mexico denied Alec Baldwin’s motion to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter indictment against him in the “Rust” fatal shooting case, connected to the 2021 death of the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin’s attorneys had accused prosecutors of misconduct during the grand jury process and sought to have the case dismissed. In January, Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting. Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza was injured after a gun Baldwin was holding discharged a live round during a scene rehearsal on the New Mexico set of the western movie. It was the second time the actor pleaded not guilty to charges related to the shooting. Involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped against Baldwin in 2023, with prosecutors saying in a statement at the time that they could not “proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form” due to “new facts” in the case. He was charged for a second time and indicted in January. Baldwin’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the indictment in March. They accused prosecutors of engaging in misconduct and said prosecutors “publicly dragged Baldwin through the cesspool created by their improprieties – without any regard for the fact that serious criminal charges have been hanging over his head for two and a half years.”