Actor Alec Baldwin is making headlines once again after news broke that prosecutors in New Mexico will be dropping the involuntary manslaughter charges against him stemming from a shooting on the set of his movie “Rust” (CNN, Deadline, The New York Times, ABC News, NBC News, The Washington Post, Fox News, CBS News). The shooting resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and Baldwin had been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin took to Instagram to thank his wife and lawyers for their support following the news of the charges being dropped (CNN). However, special prosecutor James Martin, who is handling the case, made it clear that Baldwin is not absolved of any responsibility in the shooting and that the charges may be refiled in the future (Fox News).
Prior to the shooting, there were concerns raised about gun safety on the set of “Rust” (NPR). The production was originally filming in New Mexico but has since moved to Montana (Yahoo News). The incident has led to renewed discussions about gun safety on movie sets (Newsweek).
It remains to be seen if further legal action will be taken against Baldwin or if any changes to gun safety protocols on movie sets will be implemented as a result of this incident.
