A month before Hollywood star Alec Baldwin is set to go on trial for manslaughter, he and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, announced that their family will be displaying insights into their lives on a new reality show slated to air on TLC 2025.

For now, the series is titled “The Baldwins” and will explore the inner lives of the Baldwin couple and their seven children. However, as the American actor hopes to regain control of the narrative surrounding his life, a more pressing issue looms in sight.

The 66-year-old is facing a criminal trial emerging from the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of ‘Rust,’ which claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Although the Western flick was a passion project for the actor, the fatal tragedy during its production resulted in Baldwin being indicted by a grand jury. Now facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter, Baldwin still maintains his stance as not guilty.

Here's a cohesive timeline of how events followed the tragic death of the ‘Rust’ cinematographer and how Baldwin is tied to the case.

What unfolded after the fatal shooting on ‘Rust’ set?

While shooting on the New Mexico set of ‘Rust’ in 2021, Halyna Hutchins died when a gun in Baldwin's hand fired a live round. The Hollywood actor denied consciously pulling the trigger and pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charge. While he's expected to go on trial this July, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for the weapons, was jailed following her guilty verdict for involuntary manslaughter.

In October 2021, Baldwin, also touted as a co-producer of the film, was said to be “fully co-operating with the police investigation.” In addition to Hutchins' injuries at the time, which led to her demise, director Joel Souza was also hurt after Baldwin fired a prop gun with a live round during rehearsals.

Later that year, Baldwin told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News he “didn't pull the trigger.” “Someone put a live bullet in a gun. I know it's not me.” Meanwhile, Gutierrez-Reed's lawyers had claimed she had no idea where “the live rounds came from.”

Lawsuits and charges against Alec Baldwin after the fatal ‘Rust' shooting

In a November 2021 lawsuit, script supervisor Mamie Mitchell alleged that the film script didn't call for Baldwin to be holding a gun when the shot was fired. Her legal representative accused the ‘Rust’ lead of “playing Russian roulette” with the gun when he fired it without checking it.

Thereafter, a lawsuit was filed by Hutchins' family in February 2022. It also implicated assistant director Dave Halls, armourer Gutierrez-Reed and prop master Sarah Zachry. The deceased cinematographer's family accused the star “recklessly shot and killed” Hutchins in 2021.

Later that year, Baldwin reached a settlement with them, with all parties believing Hutchins' death was an accident. However, the settlement had no impact on the ongoing investigation.

In January 2023, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed would be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, which meant that they'd both be facing 18 months in jail if convicted.

Despite Baldwin turning away from acknowledging his responsibility in the shooting, Santa Fe's District Attorney's Office accused him of “many instances of extremely reckless acts." A special investigator for the district attorney's office said Baldwin was “distracted” talking to his family when he should've been focused on the firearms training on how to operate a gun.

After having previously reached a settlement with Hutchins' husband, her parents and sister filed a new civil suit against the actor and the film's producers in February 2023. The case alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.

Still facing 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter charges, Baldwin's firearm enhancement charges were eventually dropped. It reduced possible prison time for him. CBS News reported prosecutors followed suit in Gutierrez-Reed's case, too.

In a February online plea, the actor pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Subsequently, in April 2023, “new facts” came to light in the investigation, and criminal charges against Baldwin were dropped. However, the follow-up investigation remained active.

As trouble bubbled into a storm for Gutierrez, the weapons supervisor pleaded not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges in August 2023. Meanwhile, prosecutors accused her of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana during filming.

In a brand-new August 2023 report, weapons expert scrutinised Baldwin's memory of the account, claiming that the trigger would have “had to be pulled.” Although the involuntary manslaughter charges against him were dropped earlier in April, prosecutors did not "absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability".

With the incoming new year, a grand jury in New Mexico slapped Baldwin with a fresh count of involuntary manslaughter in January 2024. Local prosecutors cited “additional facts” from forensic tests on the weapon. Once again, Baldwin responded by pleading not guilty, maintaining his stance about not pulling the Colt .45 pistol's trigger and only drawing back its hammer.

Armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed goes on trial

Gutierrez-Reed eventually went on trial in February 2024. She was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but not of evidence tampering. Prosecutors blamed her for not checking the weapon properly and ensuring it was only loaded with fake bullets. She received the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.

Baldwin's trial is set for July 10 as a New Mexico judge rejected his bid to dismiss the case. The case primarily questions his negligent handling of the fun, which he seemingly only needed to pull out from the holster. Prosecutors have accused him of endangering others on set by skipping initial firearm training, ignoring industry norms about gun safety and hiring an inexperienced armoured to meet daily production goals of the low-budget project. If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

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