The actor had been charged with criminal manslaughter after shooting a gun on the set of the movie Rust, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The lawsuits targeting actor Alec Baldwin for his fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust will be dropped, his lawyers said in a statement. The investigation previously led to a criminal charge against the actor for manslaughter.
“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,” Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement.
On October 21, 2021, the filming of the film “Rust” on a ranch in New Mexico had turned tragic when Alec Baldwin had activated 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.
The actor has always maintained his innocence
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 US media, comes the same day the film resumes shooting in Montana.
Alec Baldwin, known in particular for his role in the series “30 Rock”, 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.
