Alec Baldwin maintains innocence in fatal film-set shooting.

In New Mexico, a Western movie set rehearsal resulted in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer, and Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge.

On Wednesday, court documents revealed that Baldwin pleaded guilty in state district court in Santa Fe, forgoing an arraignment that was scheduled to occur via video conference the following day.

During a rehearsal for the Western movie "Rust" in October 2021, outside Santa Fe, lead actor and co-producer Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a gun he was pointing, while also injuring director Joel Souza.

In January, a grand jury in Santa Fe indicted Baldwin, renewing a charge that prosecutors originally filed and then dismissed in April 2023. If convicted, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison.

Baldwin is free on bail with conditions that prohibit him from possessing firearms, consuming alcohol, or leaving the country. He is allowed limited contact with witnesses to promote "Rust," which has not been released to the public. Baldwin is also forbidden from asking members of the "Rust" cast or crew to participate in a related documentary film.

Baldwin stated that he pulled back the hammer but not the trigger, resulting in the gun firing.

In an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News in December 2021, Baldwin stated that he and Halyna shared a common assumption that the gun was empty, except for dummy rounds.

The felony charge against Baldwin can be pursued by special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis using either of two alternative standards provided by the grand jury indictment.

Prosecutors can also charge Baldwin with causing Hutchins' death due to a lack of caution or "circumspection," which refers to an act performed without regard for the safety of others.

According to an analysis by Lucien and Michael Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona, the trigger on the evidence revolver had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer.

During testing, the revolver broke after it went off unintentionally when force was applied to the uncocked hammer, which is a common occurrence with firearms of that design. An earlier FBI report had analyzed the agency's findings on the revolver.

Morrissey and Lewis rejected the earlier accusation after being informed that the gun may have been altered prior to the shooting and malfunctioned.

A "Rust" crew member who was close to the fatal shooting and another who left the set in protest of working conditions were heard from by the grand jury. Weapons forensics expert Michael Haag, a movie armorer from Mississippi and a detective with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office also testified.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the "Rust" weapons supervisor, has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She has pleaded not guilty to both charges, and a jury trial is scheduled to begin on February 22.

Gutierrez-Reed was also charged with carrying a gun into a downtown Santa Fe bar days before being hired as the armorer on "Rust." She has pleaded not guilty to that charge as well.

The shooting of Hutchins led to lawsuits, including wrongful death claims, accusing Baldwin and the "Rust" producers of negligence in safety standards. Baldwin and other defendants deny these allegations.

David Halls, the "Rust" assistant director and safety coordinator, pleaded no contest to unsafe handling of a firearm in March and was given a six-month suspended sentence of probation. He agreed to cooperate in the investigation of the fatal shooting.