Alec Baldwin will not face another court trial for involuntary manslaughter after New Mexico prosecutors dropped their appeal over the fatal shooting on the Rust set.
The case against Baldwin collapsed earlier this year after just three days, following claims that prosecutors withheld key evidence from the defence —a cache of bullets.
Baldwin was holding the prop gun that discharged during filming in 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
The 66-year-old actor and co-producer denied pulling the trigger, stating he had been instructed to aim the gun at a camera.
After the trial ended, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed an appeal, arguing the case had been "improperly dismissed" by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer.
On Monday, the state’s district attorney’s office announced it would not pursue the appeal further, despite strongly disagreeing with the judge's decision.
Local prosecutors cited "multiple barriers" that had compromised their ability to prosecute the case comprehensively.
They added: “As a result, the State's efforts to continue to litigate the case in a fair and comprehensive manner have been met with multiple barriers that have compromised its ability to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Baldwin's attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, called the decision "the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his legal team have maintained from the start — this was an unspeakable tragedy, but Alec Baldwin committed no crime."
The ruling by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, which dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin and barred it from being refiled, now remains in effect.
Meanwhile, Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is serving an 18-month sentence after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March following the death of Ms Hutchins.
Last month, she had her appeals for a new trial and immediate release from prison rejected, but continues to appeal for her case to be dismissed.
