Alec Baldwin manslaughter charges dropped over fatal Rust shooting

Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin, who has been making headlines in Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death trial, is now free of manslaughter charges he faced in the case.

According to Variety, in a statement on Thursday evening, the special prosecutors stated that newly discovered information has made it impracticable to pursue charges against Baldwin. The prosecutors, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, said that the investigation remains “active and ongoing,” and that charges could be refiled later.

“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,” said the lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro.

Both Baldwin and Rust’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were formerly charged on January 31, over a year after Hutchins was fatally shot on set. The gun, that discharged the live round, was held by film’s producer and actor Baldwin. Baldwin could have faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

However, Baldwin has consistently denied the allegations asserting that he did not pull the trigger and was unaware of the potential presence of live ammunition. As per the report, Baldwin’s lawyers recently presented evidence to the prosecutors that influenced the decision to drop the charges, according to a source familiar with the process.

The report implies that the modified Colt .45 presented complicates D.A.'s ability to prove that Baldwin did pull the trigger. As a result, the charges will be dropped "without prejudice," leaving room for potential re-filing with a reduced offense in the future.

In the statement, the prosecutors said that as they were preparing for a preliminary hearing over the last few days, “new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis. Consequently, we cannot proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form.”

“We therefore will be dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charges against Mr. Baldwin to conduct further investigation,” they added. “This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled.”

Also Read: Alec Baldwin and ‘Rust’ Armorer’s firearm enhancement charges dropped with removal of five-year prison sentence