(NewsNation) — All charges against actor Alec Baldwin have been dropped in connection with a fatal shooting on the set of his movie “Rust.”
As a producer and the actor who fired the shot that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Baldwin had been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin claimed the charge against him was unconstitutional.
“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” Baldwin’s attorneys said in a statement.
Special prosecutors handling the case said in a statement Thursday night they discovered new evidence that required more “investigation and forensic analysis,” necessitating the dismissal of charges.
“This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled,” the special prosecutors, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, said. “Our follow-up investigation will remain active and on-going.”
The prosecutors did not disclose what those new facts are, but the Wall Street Journal reported new evidence shows the revolver could have fired without the trigger being pulled, which would back up Baldwin’s claims.
Production for “Rust” recently resumed after an 18-month break following the fatal shooting. The incident occurred during a rehearsal in October 2021, when the gun Baldwin was using fired in the direction of Hutchins and director Joel Souza. The bullet passed through Hutchins and wounded Souza, who survived the shooting.
Baldwin claimed he did not pull the trigger, but rather the gun discharged when he pulled back the hammer. He also claimed Hutchins was the one who told him to point the gun in her direction. The gun should not have been loaded with live ammunition before being used in rehearsal or filming.
Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with manslaughter by prosecutors who alleged negligent behavior on set contributed to the shooting.
The criminal charges against Gutierrez-Reed remain are unchanged, Morrissey and Lewis said in their statement.
Criminal defense attorney and NewsNation legal analyst Sara Azari said Thursday on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” it’s “stunning” that prosecutors dropped the case prior to a preliminary hearing.
“In 20 years of practice it’s never happened to me,” she said. “Typically a motion to dismiss is made the defense at the end of that hearing.”
NewsNation legal analyst Jesse Weber noted Baldwin could be called as a witness if the case against Gutierrez-Reed proceeds to trial.
“The ‘Rust’ story doesn’t end with this,” Weber said. “How did live ammunition get on that set? How did it get in that gun? That’s an answer we still don’t have, and Alec Baldwin … is still going to play in a role in that story one way or another.”