Actor Alec Baldwin may still face charges, despite prosecutors dropping their case against him in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie Rust.
New Mexico prosecutors said early on Friday (AEST) that they were dropping involuntary manslaughter charges against the Hollywood actor in connection with Ms Hutchins’ death and the injury of Rust director Joel Souza, who was also shot.
The move was welcomed by Baldwin’s lawyers.
“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,” Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement on Thursday (US time).
Baldwin, 65, was charged in January and accused of showing a “reckless” disregard for safety in Ms Hutchins’ death.
He pleaded not guilty in February after prosecutors downgraded the seriousness of the charges, reducing the potential prison time. He still faced a jail sentence of up to 18 months.
News the charges would be dropped arrived on the day Baldwin and other cast members resumed filming Rust in Montana, according to the production company.
Baldwin’s only public comment since the announcement has been a post to Instagram, thanking wife Hilaria.
“I owe everything I have to this woman,” he wrote, alongside a picture of the couple.
But Baldwin is not out of the woods yet. In a later statement, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said Baldwin might yet face refiled charges following “further investigation”.
“Over the last few days and in preparation for the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing, new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis in the case against Alexander ‘Alec’ Rae Baldwin, III,” they said.
“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.
“This decision does not absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled. Our follow-up investigation will remain active and on-going.”
The prosecutors also denied reports that manslaughter charges against former Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed would also be dropped.
“Charges against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed remain unchanged,” they said.
Ms Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty.
In October, Baldwin settled a lawsuit with the cinematographer’s husband, Matt Hutchins, in a deal that made Mr Hutchins an executive producer on Rust.
The shooting occurred during a rehearsal on October 21, 2021, when a Colt .45 revolver Baldwin was pointing toward the camera went off, killing Ms Hutchins and wounding Souza.
Investigators have not been able to determine how live rounds made it on set.
The first assistant director, Dave Halls, was given a suspended sentence in March after he pleaded guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Prosecutors had said he was responsible for set safety. But Baldwin argued that Ms Gutierrez-Reed failed to check the rounds and that Halls incorrectly told him the revolver was a “cold gun”, an industry term meaning it was either unloaded or contained dummy rounds.
Ms Gutierrez-Reed has blamed the shooting on other factors including possible sabotage, Baldwin’s lack of training, and a failure by Halls and Baldwin to ask her for extra checks.
Baldwin’s lawyers and prosecutors had been discussing the charges ahead of a May 3 hearing, when a New Mexico judge was to decide whether Baldwin should stand trial.
After Friday’s announcement, the next hearing in the case is expected later in the day (local time).
-with AAP
