“New facts” have emerged which deserve further investigation, but the actor is not out of the woods, warned the new prosecutors in charge of the case.
Lawsuits against American actor Alec Baldwin, accused of manslaughter after a fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust in 2021, will be dropped, the new prosecutors in charge of the case announced on Thursday, citing “new facts“Which merit further investigation.
On October 21, 2021, the shooting of the film on a ranch in New Mexico had turned tragic when Alec Baldwin had pointed a weapon supposed to contain only blank bullets, but whose very real projectile had killed the director of photography Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza. This rare news item had shocked Hollywood and provoked calls to ban firearms on the sets. A similar accident happened on the set of The Crow in March 1993 when Bruce Lee’s son, Brandon Lee, was shot and killed on set.
Baldwin denies pulling the trigger
The actor was scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing on May 3. But two weeks before the deadline, the new prosecutors in charge of the case announced the abandonment of the current charges against him, while reserving the right to initiate new ones.Over the past few days, (…) new facts have come to light that require further investigation and forensic analysis“, explained in a press release Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, the two magistrates who have taken over the case since March.
These new elements justify the dropping of the current charges. But “this decision does not exonerate Mr. Baldwin of all criminal guilt and charges can be brought again“, specified these New Mexico prosecutors. The actor’s defense welcomed this major twist.”We welcome the decision to close the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident.“, lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement sent to AFP.
Alec Baldwin, known in particular for his role in the series 30Rock, has always claimed his innocence and had pleaded not guilty to the charge of manslaughter brought against him. According to the actor, he had been assured that his weapon was harmless. He also denies pulling the trigger, a claim doubted by many experts. If convicted, the 65-year-old actor could face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Prosecutions against the armourer maintained
The charges against the film’s gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, also accused of manslaughter, are however maintained, prosecutors said Thursday. During the initial investigation, the police concluded that she was the one who put the ammunition in the gun used by Mr. Baldwin, instead of a dummy bullet. Her defense said they expect her “also be excused“at the end of the legal process. In a press release, his lawyers praised “the very diligent and thorough approach” adopted by the new prosecutors. The prosecution had already shown signs of fragility in recent weeks.
In February, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies decided to drop an aggravating circumstance against Alec Baldwin, which made him face five years behind bars. She then withdrew from the case, assuring that her services were overwhelmed with work.
The announcement that the charges against Mr. Baldwin had been dropped came on the same day filming resumed. Rust in Montana (north), after a year and a half of interruption. Placed under judicial supervision, the actor, who is also a co-producer of the film, had been authorized to finish his western, on the condition of refraining from drinking alcohol and using firearms or dangerous weapons .
Filming resumes with Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew, as executive producer. In October, he dropped his civil lawsuit against Alec Baldwin after an undisclosed settlement. The Ukrainian parents and the sister of the ex-director of photography, on the other hand, are still claiming civil damages.
In parallel with Rust, a documentary about the life of Ms Hutchins and the end of filming is also to be made. At the end of March, the first assistant director of the film, Dave Halls, received a six-month suspended prison sentence in this case. He had handed the gun at the origin of the drama to Alec Balwin, assuring him that it was not dangerous, and he had agreed to plead guilty.