The charges against US actor Alec Baldwin, who was charged with manslaughter after a deadly shooting on the set of the film Rust in 2021, will be dropped, his lawyers assured on Thursday.
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“We applaud the decision to drop the case against Alec Baldwin and demand a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” said Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro in a statement sent to AFP.
On October 21, 2021, filming of the movie “Rust” on a ranch in New Mexico, United States, had become tragic when Mr. Baldwin had activated a weapon that was supposed to contain only empty bullets, but underneath it a very real projectile that a cameraman killed Halyna Hutchins, 42, and injured director Joel Souza.
This rare news had shocked Hollywood and provoked calls to ban firearms on the sets.
The announcement of the case’s closure, unveiled Thursday by Deadline magazine and other American media outlets, comes on the same day as filming resumed on the film in Montana.
Alec Baldwin, best known for his role on 30 Rock, has always maintained his innocence. He was assured his gun was harmless and denied pulling the trigger. A claim questioned by many experts.
After his indictment, his defense immediately denounced a “horrible miscarriage of justice”.
If convicted, the actor faces up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.