Alec Baldwin may face new charges in the Rust criminal case after a New Mexico judge on Tuesday ordered Baldwin and Rust producers to turn over documents related to the movie’s preproduction planning, according to Deadline.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled Tuesday that Rust producers must give prosecutors internal documents pertaining to Baldwin’s full role on the film. Criminal charges against Baldwin in the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were dropped earlier this year, but the special prosecutors in the case have not ruled out refiling manslaughter or other claims against him down the line.
Baldwin was a producer on the film, as well as the star, and production documents and files could shed light on what Baldwin’s financial arrangements were for Rust, including how much he stood to profit from the film, and how much he knew about cost and safety corners that may have been cut.
Baldwin has insisted that he did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins on October 21, 2021, even though forensics tests and investigations by both the FBI and independent experts suggest it would have been near impossible for the gun to have gone off by itself. No explanation for how live rounds got on the set of Rust has emerged yet.
The movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who’s still facing an involuntary manslaughter charge, has been arguing the production companies prevented her from doing her job properly, claiming the film’s tight budget denied her additional firearm training.
Rust wrapped up filming earlier this year.
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