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A grand jury in New Mexico has laid fresh charges of involuntary manslaughter against Alec Baldwin in connection with the fatal gunshot incident on the Rust set in 2021. Previous charges against the Emmy-winning actor were dropped in April last year, just two weeks before his criminal trial was about to begin.

‘Additional facts’ from forensic tests on the weapon used in the shooting have now prompted lawmakers to re-instate the charges.

Baldwin, 65, was practising firing a Colt.45 handgun before filming a scene for Rust, a Western film set near Santa Fe in October 2021. But the pistol went off for real, killing 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

The actor has maintained that he did not pull the trigger on the gun and that the weapon ‘went off by itself’. Baldwin also said that as no live ammunition was allowed on set, he had no idea that a live round was in the weapon. Special prosecutors in New Mexico however said in October that after reconstructing the gun, it proved to be impossible to fire unless the trigger was pulled.

“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.”

The latest report indicated that “Mr Baldwin was either negligent in his use of a firearm or that he acted with total disregard or indifference for the safety of others”. Prosecutors say that he can only be convicted under one of these hypotheses, and not both. If convicted, he may serve up to 18 months in prison.

Attorneys representing the late Halyna Hutchins are now eager to begin the trial, saying “Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed.”

Baldwin has expressed “shock and sadness” after the incident and has told authorities that he is struggling to find acting work following the shooting. The low-budget independent movie was said to be a ‘passion project’ for Baldwin, but it may just spell the end of his career.

[source:bbc]