Key Points
- Actor Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the shooting on the Rust film set.
- If convicted, Baldwin could have faced up to 18 months in prison.
- The decision to drop the charges comes on the same day as Rust resumed filming.
Prosecutors in New Mexico plan to drop an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal 2021 shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the film Rust, Mr Baldwin's lawyers say.
"We 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," Mr Baldwin's lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement.
Prosecutors did not immediately comment on the case.
Mr Baldwin and the film's weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were both charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting.
Mr Baldwin was pointing a pistol at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when the gun when off, killing Ms Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has said the gun went off accidentally and that he did not pull the trigger.
An FBI forensic report concluded the weapon could not have fired unless the trigger was pulled.
The case against Mr Baldwin had already been diminishing.
A weapons charge that would have meant a much longer sentence had already been dismissed, and the first special prosecutor in the case resigned.
The Rust film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe is seen on 23 October 2021. Source: AAP / Jae C. Hong
Mr Baldwin will continue his involvement as an actor and co-producer.
The production company finalised a settlement last month with New Mexico workplace safety regulars over "serious" violations, agreeing to a $US100,000 ($148,945) fine to resolve a scathing safety review that detailed unheeded complaints and misfires on set before the death of Ms Hutchins on set in October 2021.
Parts of a documentary about Ms Hutchins' life will be filmed simultaneously with Rust.
