Did Alec Baldwin go to prison? Truth behind Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna

Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna has landed on Hulu, sparking renewed interest in the case that saw actor Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez go to trial. 

The case unfolded on October 21, 2021, on the set of Joel Souza’s Western movie Rust. A live bullet from a prop revolver Baldwin was using was shot, traveling through cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ body. 

The bullet also hit Souza in the arm, but while he survived the tragic incident, Hutchins did not. The new documentary film pieces together the events of that day and the aftermath, as told by the individuals who lived it. 

As the legal proceedings unfolded, attention remained on Gutierrez’s role as armorer and Baldwin’s responsibility as an actor and producer on the film. 

Did Alec Baldwin go to prison?

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The actor did not receive a prison sentence as the charges against him were dropped in July 2024. Since the presiding judge dismissed “with prejudice,” this means Baldwin can never be retried on these counts. 

Baldwin was formally charged in January 2023 for involuntary manslaughter over the death of Hutchins. The Hollywood star originally faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

The First Judicial District Attorney stated at the time, “Today my office formally filed involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set in Santa Fe County in October 2021. 

“Negligent use of a deadly weapon charges were also filed against Rust assistant director David Halls, who has pleaded no contest and has entered into a plea agreement that is pending approval.”

The involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin was dismissed without prejudice in April 2023 after the discovery of new evidence that raised questions about whether the gun had been modified before the shooting.

Since this was without prejudice, prosecutors could refile charges later – which they eventually did. In January 2024, a new grand jury indicted Baldwin again for involuntary manslaughter, after further forensic testing suggested the gun was functional at the time and the actor did pull the trigger.

However, just days into the trial, the charges were dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed that the prosecution had withheld evidence from the defense. 

“The late discovery of this evidence has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stated at the time. “There is no way for the court to right this wrong. The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy.”

The deliberations were described as “bizarre,” with many feeling justice was not served. 

Prosecutor Kari Morrissey did file an appeal to reinstate the charges, but this was dropped in December 2024, meaning the criminal case is officially closed. 

The DA’s Office said, “The FJDA commends Morrissey for her work in prosecuting two cases of such magnitude and national attention, including the successful prosecution against Hannah Gutierrez Reed. The FJDA supports the Hutchins’ family and their continued fight for justice in civil court.”

Where is Hannah Gutierrez now?

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Gutierrez is currently serving an 18 month prison sentence at a New Mexico women’s correctional facility after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The earliest she will be let out is September 2025, though she will remain under strict supervision after her release.

As the head armorer on the Rust set, Gutierrez was responsible for ensuring firearm safety during production. However, she came under scrutiny after it was revealed that live rounds had been mixed in with dummy rounds, leading to the fatal shooting. 

Prosecutors argued that Gutierrez failed to follow basic safety protocols, such as checking the ammunition properly and ensuring Baldwin was trained in gun handling. The defense, however, claimed she was overworked and undertrained, blaming the film’s low-budget production for cutting corners.

In March 2024, a jury found Gutierrez guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The judge later sentenced her to 18 months in prison, the maximum penalty for the charge. 

Gutierrez also faced a separate weapons charge after being caught carrying a firearm into a bar in New Mexico a few weeks before Rust began filming. 

Initially pleading not guilty, she later changed her plea in exchange for a reduced sentence, which allowed her to begin 18 months of supervised probation from behind bars. 

Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna sparks strong reaction

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While Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna has received praise for remaining balanced, many viewers of the true crime docu-series have expressed skepticism about the case’s outcome.

Taking to Reddit, one wrote, “I just watched the documentary on Hulu. Truly a traumatic and devastating event that should have never happened. I will never understand how live rounds were on the set.

“Alec not feeling guilty as he said in his interview with George Stephanopolis never sat right with me. Whether it was his fault or not, how can you not feel guilt?”

Another replied, “It was even-handed. I’m glad they got into all the cost-cutting and prior violations… at least it’s opening some eyes to how f*cked up the production was and how avoidable it could have been.

“I think it went too easy on Baldwin. I could understand the filmmaker not wanting it to focus on him too much since that would take the spotlight off Halyna again, but I wish the wider public would know that he missed trainings, that he was the one bossing people around and rushing them, that the FBI and gun manufacturer testified that the only way the gun could have gone off was if he pulled the trigger, etc. 

“But since there was no conviction and the case was dismissed with prejudice and can never be re-tried, I guess there wouldn’t be too much reward to going that deep.

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“Also wish it had covered how grossly incompetent the investigators and prosecutors were. But again, clearly not what the filmmaker wanted it to be about and would’ve shifted focus.”

A third added, “Dave Halls plead guilty to handing the gun to Alec with Hannah absent, and if you see interviews with him (like the current Hulu doc) you can see he is still racked with guilt over doing so.

“Baldwin not so much, and his PR minions did a good spin job to cover up what actually happened that day. 

“He was blessed to be able to afford lawyers who managed to get him off on a procedural technicality, and that both investigators and prosecutors were so grossly incompetent, because had a jury been presented with the unspun facts, I am almost certain he would’ve been found guilty.”

Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna is streaming on Hulu now. You can also read about the American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden delay, where Ruby Franke is now, and the biggest mistake in the Karen Read trial.