Indexbit Exchange:Alec Baldwin indicted on involuntary manslaughter charge again in 'Rust' shooting

Alec Baldwin has again been indicted on Indexbit Exchangea charge of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film "Rust."

The grand jury's indictment, filed Friday in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, alleges Baldwin "did cause the death of Halyna Hutchins." This comes nine months after special prosecutors dismissed an earlier involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor.

New Mexico special prosecutors brought the case before a grand jury in Santa Fe this week, months after receiving a new analysis of the gun from the shooting. They declined to answer questions after spending about a day and a half presenting their case to the grand jury.

Defense attorneys for Baldwin indicated they'll fight the charges.

"We look forward to our day in court," Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, defense attorneys for Baldwin, told The Associated Press in an email.

Previous involuntary manslaughter charge was dropped as case required 'further investigation'

In April, prosecutors filed a formal notice dismissing the criminal case against Baldwin without prejudice. They noted "new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis which cannot be completed before the May 3, 2023 preliminary hearing." An investigation into the case remains "active and on-going," prosecutors added.

Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins during a rehearsal for the Western film in October 2021 when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin, also a producer on the film, claimed the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger.

The analysis from experts in ballistics and forensic testing relied on replacement parts to reassemble the gun fired by Baldwin, after parts of the pistol were broken during testing by the FBI. The report examined the gun and markings it left on a spent cartridge to conclude that the trigger had to have been pulled or depressed.

The analysis led by Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona stated that although Baldwin repeatedly denied 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 weapons supervisor on the movie set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in the case. Her trial is scheduled to begin in February.

"Rust" assistant director and safety coordinator David Halls pleaded no contest to unsafe handling of a firearm last March and received a suspended sentence of six months of probation. He agreed to cooperate in the investigation of the shooting.

Halyna Hutchins' family is 'looking forward to the criminal trial', attorney says

The 2021 shooting resulted in a series of civil lawsuits, including wrongful death claims filed by members of Hutchins’ family, centered on accusations that the defendants were lax with safety standards. Baldwin and other defendants have disputed those allegations.

In 2022, Baldwin and the production company behind "Rust" reached a settlement with Hutchins' family in their wrongful death lawsuit.

In a statement issued Friday, attorney Gloria Allred – who represents Hutchins' parents, Olga Solovey and Anatolii Androsovych, and her sister, Svetlana Zemko – said, "Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day that Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed" on Oct. 21, 2021.

"We are looking forward to the criminal trial which will determine if he should be convicted for the untimely death of Halyna."

Contributing: Edward Segarra, Marco della Cava USA TODAY; Morgan Lee, The Associated Press