Prosecutors formally drop charges against Baldwin as he returns to ‘Rust’ set

New Mexico prosecutors formally dropped charges against actor Alec Baldwin on Friday, as he returned to the set of “Rust” a year and half after the shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Jason Lewis and Kari Morrissey, the newly appointed special prosecutors in the case, said in a court filing that “new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis” that couldn’t be completed before a May 3 preliminary hearing.

In a statement announcing their decision on Thursday, Lewis and Morrissey noted that it “does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled.”

The decision comes after the special prosecutors reportedly received new evidence that the prop gun that Baldwin was practicing with on set when the shooting occurred had been modified without his knowledge, according to The New York Times.

Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza was injured when Baldwin fired a live round from the prop gun in October 2021. He and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were both charged with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting in January.

“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,” Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Sprio, said in a statement.