Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has had one of the key charges of involuntary manslaughter dropped after the shooting of Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
The fatal incident occurred on the movie set of Rust while the star was filming for the planned blockbuster.
Santa Fe County District Attorney’s office has dropped the gun enhancement charge against Baldwin.
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His expected charge could have seen him jailed for up to five years.
The decision comes after the actor’s lawyers accused New Mexico prosecutors of “elementary legal error” as they charged him under a statute which did not exist at the time of the incident.
(Image: Getty Images for National Geogra)
Alec was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over Hutchins’ death.
Halyna was killed on the set of Rust back in October 2021 after Baldwin discharged a prop gun – she was airlifted to hospital but sadly died of her injuries.
The incident also left director Joel Souza injured on the New Mexico set.
Baldwin’s first charge is involuntary manslaughter and needs proof of negligence, while his second is involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act.
The second needs proof that there was more than negligence involved in Halyna’s death and included a firearm enhancement.
This made the crime punishable by five years in jail.
TMZ reported that the charge was dropped after Alec’s lawyer filed a motion which criticised prosecutors.
They pulled up the prosecutors for using a law which did not apply to the actor as the lawyers claim that the enhancement was enacted in May 2022, seven months after the incident.
It is reported that they called the charge “unlawful”.
The motion read: “The prosecutors, in this case, have committed an unconstitutional and elementary legal error by charging Mr Baldwin under a statute that did not exist on the date of the accident.”
Since the gun enhancement charge has now been removed, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Alec is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on February 24 to face charges.
This comes after Ms Hutchins family filed a separate civil lawsuit against Baldwin and are attempting to sue him for alleged battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and loss of consortium.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
