Lawsuits against American actor Alec Baldwin, accused of manslaughter after a fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust in 2021, will be abandoned, his lawyers assured Thursday.
“We welcome the decision to close the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro in a statement sent to AFP.
On October 21, 2021, the shooting of the film Rust on a ranch in New Mexico had turned tragic when Mr. Baldwin had activated a weapon supposed to contain only blank bullets, but whose very real projectile had killed the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured the director Joel Souza.
This rare news item had shocked Hollywood and provoked calls to ban firearms on the sets.
The announcement of the closing of the case, revealed Thursday by the specialized magazine Deadline and other American media, comes the same day as the resumption of filming of the film in Montana.
Alec Baldwin, known in particular for his role in the series 30Rock, has always claimed his innocence. According to him, he was assured that his weapon was harmless, and he denies having pulled the trigger. An assertion questioned by many experts.
After his indictment, his defense immediately denounced a “terrible miscarriage of justice”.
If convicted, the actor could face up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.