Charges against Alec Baldwin have been dropped in the fatal on-set “Rust” shooting. Baldwin, 65, had been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, in October 2021.
Baldwin’s lawyer Luke Nikas said: “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident.
Recently appointed special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis made the call to let Alec off the hook.
According to Deadline:
As of now, Baldwin’s co-defendant and ex-Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed still has charges standing against her, we understand — thereby keeping the probe open and retaining subpoena power for prosecutors going forward.
Both Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin had previously pleaded not guilty. Since an interview on ABC just weeks after the slaying of Hutchins, Baldwin has repeatedly insisted he did not pull the trigger on the 1880s prop gun that killed the DoP.
An insistence that the FBI disagreed with in its report on the matter released last year. With Baldwin lawyers last month contesting the state of the gun, further investigation into the firearm looks certain to being undertaken as a part of any renewed probe.
These latest developments are occurring as production on a resurrected Rust was set to start in Montana with Baldwin and director Joel Souza, who was wounded in the October 2021 shooting.
BREAKING: Charges against Alec Baldwin have been dropped in the fatal on-set “Rust” shooting, according to sources familiar with the matter. https://t.co/5DXZUHliqD
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2023
.@ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Charges against Alec Baldwin have been dropped in the fatal on-set “Rust” shooting, according to sources familiar with the matter. https://t.co/sWqeUyB78t https://t.co/rjpIyFeDag
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2023
Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Charge to Be Dropped in ‘Rust’ Shooting https://t.co/iyj9cn6A5g
— Variety (@Variety) April 20, 2023
