US-American actor Alec Baldwin was charged last week in the 2021 death of his cameraman, Halyna Hutchinswhile rehearsing scenes from their film “Rust” on a set in New Mexico in the western United States.
The court ordered Baldwin to appear virtually or in person to answer the charges before February 1, according to legal documents accessed by AFP.
His defense responded on Wednesday with a motion in which the actor demands a speedy trial in accordance with legal provisions.
Lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro argued in Baldwin's first official response to the new developments that the motion seeks to “minimize public vilification and suspicion and avoid the risks to proving his innocence, which often comes after a long delay in prosecution.” arise”.
The 65-year-old actor was charged in the case a year ago, but prosecutors dropped the charges in April, arguing that “new facts” had emerged that required “further investigation and forensic analysis.”
To read: Involuntary manslaughter charges dropped against Alec Baldwin
According to the new indictment, a grand jury concluded that Baldwin was accused of either negligent handling of a firearm or failure to exercise caution.
In the United States, a grand jury is a group of citizens convened to evaluate the evidence and decide whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial against someone.
Baldwin, actor and producer of the cowboy film, was brandishing a Colt .45 gun during rehearsals at Bonanza Creek Ranch on October 21, 2021, when a shot was fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The Hollywood star pleaded not guilty last year and insisted in interviews that he did not fire the gun. However, forensic experts hired by prosecutors concluded that Baldwin had to have applied some pressure to the trigger for it to happen. the shot.
If convicted in New Mexico, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison. The film's gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in connection with Hutchins' death.
According to the investigation, Gutiérrez-Reed, in charge of the supply elements, would have fired a real bullet into the gun that Baldwin had to handle, loading only fake ammunition. The young woman, whose trial is scheduled for February, pleaded not guilty.