The criminal charges filed against Alec Baldwin for the fatal 2021 “Rust” shooting will be dropped, according to a new report.
Recently appointed special prosecutors, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, are expected to file the paperwork soon, Deadline reported on Thursday.
In doing so, the pair will dismiss the involuntary manslaughter claims without prejudice.
However, the charges against Baldwin’s co-defendant and former armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, have yet to be cleared, meaning the case — and Baldwin’s involvement — may be looked into in the future.
“We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, told CNN in response to the news.
The decision comes just two weeks before a mini-trial was scheduled to take place over the killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Hutchins, 42, was fatally shot on the movie set when Baldwin’s prop gun discharged a live round, hitting her in the chest.
The film’s director, Joel Souza, was also wounded in the shooting, but no charges were filed in relation to his injuries.
Baldwin, 64, has adamantly denied ever pulling the gun’s trigger, pleading not guilty to the accidental killing in February.
Still, prosecutors argued that “photos and videos clearly show Baldwin, multiple times, with his finger inside the trigger guard and on the trigger” ahead of the deadly shooting.
Baldwin was originally facing up to five years in prison, which later was dropped down to just 18 months behind bars.
Meanwhile, “Rust” is set to restart filming in Montana this week, with sources telling the outlet the dismissal was purely coincidental with the filming schedule.
