Earlier this year, it was announced that Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter after accidentally shooting and killing cinemaphotographer Halyna Hutchins with a loaded prop gun back in 2021 on the set of Rust.
At the time, the DA appointed prosecutor Andrea Reeb said:
“If any one of these three people—Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez Reed or David Halls—had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It’s that simple.
The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the ‘Rust’ film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don’t take our state’s commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously.”
However, Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas was adamant that the charge would be dropped, saying:
“This decision distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice. Mr. Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun… or anywhere on the movie set.
He relied on the professionals with whom he worked, who assured him the gun did not have live rounds. We will fight these charges, and we will win.”
With that being said, according to TMZ the involuntary manslaughter charge has officially been dropped.
It turns out that they came to the conclusion that it isn’t on the actor to check and see if prop ammunition is safe, but rather the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Nikas and Baldwin’s other attorney Alex Spiro said in a statement following the dropped charges:
“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss this case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident.”
