What to know about Alec Baldwin’s Rust shooting trial

In October 2021, Mr Baldwin, was rehearsing on the Rust set near Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was practising a cross-body draw of a replica Colt .45 revolver, as the director called for him to point the gun at the camera in an upcoming scene.

Mr Baldwin – who boasts a 40-year acting career – had a starring role in the film, which he was also co-producing. He was portraying an outlaw whose 13-year-old grandson is convicted of manslaughter.

As he pointed the revolver during the rehearsal, it went off. A bullet from the weapon hit Ms Hutchins in the chest, also striking director Joel Souza in the shoulder.

Ms Hutchins was flown to hospital by helicopter but died of her injuries. Mr Souza was taken by ambulance from the scene at Bonanza Creek Ranch.

Court documents show that Mr Baldwin and others on set did not know the gun was loaded or that it contained live ammunition.

It was discovered later that the film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, brought a box of live bullets to the film set from her California home. Prosecutors said those live rounds slowly spread through the set over the course of 12 days.

Gutierrez-Reed, who loaded the gun for Mr Baldwin before the shooting, was charged and found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Ms Hutchins’ death. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison – the maximum sentence.

Judge Mary Sommers, who oversaw the case, said Gutierrez-Reed’s mistake had cost Ms Hutchins her life by turning “a safe weapon into a lethal weapon”.

David Halls, an assistant director and safety coordinator, has also pleaded guilty to unsafe handling of a firearm.