Actor Alec Baldwin has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in the ongoing legal battle over the fatal shooting on the "Rust" film set in 2021. The incident claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, as reported by NPR.

Baldwin and the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January, but the charges were dismissed in April after the special prosecutors discovered the possibility of the gun being modified and malfunctioning before the shooting occurred.

However, last month, a Sante Fe grand jury indicted Baldwin after a forensic report conducted in August determined that the trigger on his Colt .45 revolver required a deliberate action to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer, according to NPR.

Baldwin, who is currently free pending trial, has been barred from leaving the country, consuming alcohol, and possessing firearms.

Gutierrez-Reed, on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence related to Hutchins's death, and bringing a gun into a Santa Fe bar prior to the tragic incident. Her trial is set to begin on February 22.

New special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis have filed a court document alleging that there is "substantial" evidence indicating that Gutierrez-Reed unknowingly brought live bullets to the film set. Morrissey offered Gutierrez-Reed a "favorable plea" last September if she admitted to bringing the live rounds, according to Variety.

The legal proceedings surrounding the "Rust" film set shooting continue as both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed assert their innocence. The gravity of the charges and the tragic loss of life will be at the forefront of the upcoming trials, where further details are expected to be unveiled.