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Alec Baldwin To Face Trial for Rust Shooting In February; Requests Speedy Resolution Amid Involuntary Manslaughter Charges
Alec Baldwin demanded a speedy trial for Rust shooting case in his court filing. The actor is facing involuntary manslaughter charges. Court appearance set for February 1, 2024.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to murder which could be triggering for some readers.
Alec Baldwin is required to appear before the court on February 1, 2024, at 11 a.m. His court appearance date stems from the involuntary manslaughter charges that he was slapped with again last week. For the unversed, Baldwin ended up killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021 while practicing a scene for his movie Rust that involved a gun. Baldwin, reportedly unaware of the real bullets in the firearm, took a shot at Hutchins, resulting in her death. One of his bullets also ended up injuring director Joel Souza. He later recovered.
Alec Baldwin has been facing involuntary manslaughter charges ever since. He was acquitted of it in 2022 but was again charged last week. Now, Baldwin says he wants a “speedy trial.” He wants to get done with it once and for all.
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Alec Baldwin to appear in court over Rust shooting case
Baldwin, who is facing involuntary manslaughter charges over the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, will face his first trial on February 1 at the New Mexico Court. He is required to appear before Judge T. Glenn Ellington at 11 a.m. via phone or video conference. Otherwise, “if you fail to appear at the time and place specified, a warrant will be issued for your arrest,” the court order noted.
If found guilty, Alec Baldwin is looking at anywhere between 18 months to three years behind bars.
Alec Baldwin asks the court to hurry with the Rust shooting case
As soon as the court issued summons to Alec Baldwin, the actor via his attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro filed a response seeking a speedy trial.
“Mr. Baldwin asserts his right to a speedy trial as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution,” Baldwin's legal team said in a filing on the actor’s behalf. “Mr. Baldwin is entitled to a fair and speedy disposition of the charges to minimize public vilification and suspicion and to avoid the hazards of proving his innocence that often arise after lengthy delays in prosecution,” the filing further states while also noting that Baldwin reserves the rights to “call any witnesses” disclosed by the prosecution on a witness list.
How the case unfolded in the past
Baldwin’s initial charges of manslaughter were dropped in April 2022, however, prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis never ruled out the possibility of him being charged again if and when new evidence came to light.
Within six months the special prosecutor duo bought in the said new evidence. “After extensive investigation over the past several months, additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins and shooting of Joel Souza,” Morrissey and Lewis said in October 202 before proceeding to a 12 person Santa Fe grand jury. The said jury eventually indicted Baldwin of involuntary manslaughter last week.
A weapon analysis by the prosecutors also added to Baldwin’s troubles, who maintained he did not pull the trigger and only drew back the hammer of the Colt. 45 pistol.
“Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings, and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver,” declared the weapon analysis report.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, Rust’s weapon supervisor is also scheduled to go on trial next month. David Halls, the film’s AD and safety coordinator was given a six-month sentence last year after he pleaded no contest to charges against him.
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