Alec Baldwin to Stand Trial for 'Rust' Shooting, Judge Rules

Baldwin will stand trial in July following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the 'Rust' set in 2021.

By Megan Behnke

It's been almost three years since cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust, and Alec Baldwin will officially be standing trial. Deadline reports that a judge in New Medico ruled that the actor will be going to trial over the summer for the shooting, which happened in October 2021. The trial is expected to start on July 9 in Santa Fe and should last about two weeks.

The motion to dismiss the indictment and several issues were carefully evaluated, but Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer rejected all claims against the prosecution. "After review of transcripts from the January 18, 2024, and January 19, 2024, grand jury presentations, the Court does not find that the 'prosecuting attorney assisting the grand jury' engaged in 'intentional misconduct' reflecting 'dishonesty of belief, purpose, or motive' in the course of the attorney's 'presentation of evidence to the grand jury,'" Judge Sommer wrote in the order.

In April, it was reported that Baldwin allegedly couldn't handle the stress of the trial. It came on the heels of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's guilty conviction for involuntary manslaughter. The on-set armorer received a sentence of 18 months and was responsible for the weapon that was in Baldwin's hand at the time of the shooting that was thought to have only been a prop with no real bullets.

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Meanwhile, charges against Alec Baldwin were initially dropped in 2023, but the FBI reopened the case after it was figured out that the gun wouldn't have been able to go off without the trigger being pulled. He has already pleaded not guilty but has been dealing with civil cases in both California and New Mexico courts. What the trial in July will mean for his case is unknown, but it's possible that it is far from over. Or perhaps this is just the beginning of the long-awaited end.

As for the Rust movie, after production went on hiatus following the shooting, it started back up in early 2023 and finished filming not long after in Montana. However, the film has yet to find a buyer, and considering the bad press surrounding the film, it's hard to tell if it will ever find a home. The Western indie's future, as well as Alec Baldwin's beyond the trial, is unpredictable. Once the trial begins in July, though, it shouldn't be long for more information to come out. 

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