What does indictment mean? Details explored as Alec Baldwin gets indicted by a Grand Jury for involuntary manslaughter

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has reportedly been indicted in a case of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly fatally shooting and killing the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, on the sets of the film Rust in 2021. A Santa Fe Grand Jury made the decision on Friday after the prosecutors provided new evidence in the case, as per BBC.

The phrase "indictment" is essentially legal jargon that is sometimes confused with "charged." While the two things are not very different, only a Grand Jury can indict someone, while law enforcement can directly file a charge against a suspect. Baldwin's case is an example of the former, as special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis presented the case in front of a Grand Jury in Santa Fe earlier this week, as per NBC News.

After the indictment, Alec Baldwin will have to appear in court, and the date for the same has not yet been set. The Hollywood actor could reportedly face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

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How does a Grand Jury indict someone? Everything we know about Alec Baldwin's indictment

As per federallawyers.com, unlike a normal jury in a criminal trial, a Grand Jury's task is not to find a suspect guilty of a crime but rather to determine whether there is reasonable suspicion for a criminal proceeding to take place against the defendant after the prosecution presents relevant evidence.

What's more, the accused is not allowed to defend themselves during the indictment. This is one of the major differences between being indicted and being charged with a crime. In both cases, however, a formal accusation of a criminal action is brought against the defendant, and they may even be arrested right away.

As the term implies, an involuntary manslaughter charge is levied against a person for unintentionally killing another individual through reckless behavior. In Alec Baldwin's case, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot after a prop gun Baldwin was reportedly holding was discharged in October 2021. Joel Souza, the director of Rust, was also wounded in the alleged incident.

Alec Baldwin has maintained that he only drew back the hammer and did not pull the trigger, as per BBC. Back in April 2023, the special prosecutors leading the case against the actor dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge after claims were made that the gun was possibly modified before the film rehearsal, as per Reuters. ABC News then reported that as per an FBI report, guns such as the one that was used during the production of Rust can go off without pulling the trigger.

In August last year, the prosecutors changed their views due to an expert report from the Arizona Forensic Science Services. The gun analysis reportedly stated that the trigger had to have been pressed for the gun to fire, contrary to Baldwin's previous assertions. Part of the report, as per AL Jazeera, states:

"The trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."

In light of the new information, the special prosecution presented the case to the Grand Jury, which indicted the actor on January 19, 2024.

The weapons supervisor of Rust, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was charged with involuntary manslaughter last year and will be facing a trial in February. However, the date for Alec Baldwin's trial has not been announced as of this writing.