The lawyers for the Hollywood star Alec Baldwin (65) assume that the criminal case against the actor will be dropped after a fatal shot during a western shoot. Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said they were pleased with the decision to drop the case against Baldwin.
The prosecutor’s office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, did not initially confirm this on request. It was unclear whether the authorities would make an official statement on Thursday or only on Friday.
Camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was fatally injured while filming the western “Rust” at a film ranch in Santa Fe in October 2021. Baldwin, who served as lead actor and producer on the film, was holding a gun during a scene rehearsal when a shot went off. There was a real bullet in the Colt. It’s unclear how the live ammunition got on set.
Baldwin and gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with involuntary manslaughter in January. Both have always denied responsibility for the fatal accident. Further hearings were planned for early May. A date for the start of the process has not yet been set. If found guilty of involuntary manslaughter with aggravated circumstances, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed initially faced up to five years in prison.
In January 2023, the prosecution made serious allegations that Baldwin had acted “extremely” negligently in many respects. As an actor and producer, he disregarded numerous safety regulations, according to the public prosecutor. In February, at the request of Baldwin’s attorneys, prosecutors retracted the allegation that there were aggravating circumstances. The possible sentence was thus reduced to a maximum of 18 months imprisonment.
Several civil lawsuits are also pending in the case. The parents living in Ukraine and the younger sister of the killed camerawoman Hutchins filed a lawsuit against Baldwin and others involved in early February, demanding damages.
Meanwhile, the “Rust” filming, which was discontinued in autumn 2021, is now to be continued. In addition to director Joel Souza, Baldwin will also be back as a producer and actor, the production team announced in February. Cinematographer’s widower Matthew Hutchins joins as executive producer. According to US media reports on Thursday, production is scheduled to begin this week in the US state of Montana.