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, assured, Thursday, April 20, his lawyers.
“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 press release.
On October 21, 2021, the shooting of the film Rust on a ranch in New Mexico had turned tragic when Mr. Baldwin had pointed 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 site Deadlinecomes the same day the resumption of filming of the film in Montana, after a year and a half of interruption.
Signs of weakness for the prosecution
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 claims that the shot went off accidentally without him pulling the trigger, a claim doubted by many experts. After his indictment, his defense immediately denounced a “terrible miscarriage of justice”.
If convicted, the 65-year-old actor could face up to eighteen months in prison and a fine of $5,000 (about $4,500). Placed under judicial control, Mr. Baldwin, who is also co-producer of Rusthad been allowed to finish filming his western, provided he refrained from drinking alcohol and using firearms or dangerous weapons.
The prosecution had already shown signs of weakness in this case. In February, the Santa Fe prosecutor decided to drop an aggravating circumstance against Mr. Baldwin, which made him face five years behind bars. She then transferred the file to two other prosecutors, ensuring that her services were overwhelmed with work.
Possible new lawsuits
However, the case is not over: the two new magistrates must resume the investigation and still have the right to initiate new proceedings.
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Like Mr. Baldwin, the gunsmith of Rust, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was also charged with manslaughter. According to the magazine variety, justice maintains these lawsuits for the moment. 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.
The Armourer’s defense said they expect her to “be also exculpated” at the end of the legal process. In a statement, the lawyers praised “the very diligent and thorough approach” adopted by the new prosecutors now in charge of the investigations.
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 heart of the drama to the actor, assuring him that she was not dangerous, and he had agreed to plead guilty.
Filming for the film has resumed with Halyna Hutchins’ widower, Matthew, serving 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 Rusta documentary on the life of Mr.me Hutchins and the end of filming must also be achieved.