Criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin have been dropped, in the case of the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.
Hutchins was fatally shot in 2021 and Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin was holding a prop gun when a live round of ammunition shot from the gun struck and killed Hutchins.
A statement from prosecutors said they were unable to proceed with the case due to time constraints and on evidence turned over by law enforcement “in its existing form”.
“We therefore will be dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charges against Mr Baldwin to conduct further investigation,” the statement read.
Here is all the information you need to know about the charges.
What does involuntary manslaughter mean?
Involuntary manslaughter is the crime of killing another human unlawfully but unintentionally.
New Mexico, where the shot was fired, state law classifies involuntary manslaughter as a fourth-degree felony.
The law reads: “Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.”
In order for a jury to choose which specific count might be more appropriate, Baldwin and armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were each charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
According to the prosecution, a conviction in either situation carries a penalty of up to $5,000 in fines and 18 months in jail.
One definition, however, would include an additional required penalty because a handgun was involved. According to the prosecution, the offence might then result in a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
What is manslaughter?
Manslaughter is the crime of killing someone without malice aforethought.
In other words, manslaughter is a homicide that is the unintentional killing of another person. These cases are treated as less severe crimes than murder.
