“Alec Baldwin’s attorneys anticipate charges to be dropped in Rust movie shooting case”?

New Mexico prosecutors are expected to drop charges against actor Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in 2021.

Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement to CBS News that they 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.” Legal contributor, Jessica Levinson noted that District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies appointed two new special prosecutors to take over the case at the end of March. It’s unclear how this development affects the prosecution against the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was also charged with involuntary manslaughter in January.

Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were charged with involuntary manslaughter in January, and the charges included a firearm enhancement that could have resulted in a mandatory five-year sentence if convicted. However, prosecutors dropped the firearm enhancement in February. Baldwin has denied pulling the trigger, but prosecutors claimed that the weapon couldn’t fire unless the trigger was pressed.

The incident has led to a wider discussion about the use of firearms on film sets and calls for a complete ban on live ammunition during productions. Following the incident, several crew members spoke out about the conditions on the scene,
including a walk-off of crew members hours before the incident, citing their frustration over long working hours and concerns about gun safety. In addition, the incident has prompted a re-examination of on-set safety protocols and a discussion of the responsibilities of actors and production staff when handling firearms on set.

As the legal case continues, the film industry is grappling with the aftermath of the tragedy and examining what measures can be put in place to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. The incident has raised questions about the oversight and regulation of on-set safety practices. The outcome of the Baldwin case will be closely watched as Hollywood continues to deal with the repercussions of the shooting.