Aggravation against Baldwin withdrawn in cause of death on set

Prosecutors investigating the responsibility of Alec Baldwin in a fatal shot during filming of a movie in 2021, they withdrew this Monday an aggravating circumstance that weighed on the actor.

On October 21, 2021, during the filming of the movie “Rust”, in the state of New Mexico, in the southwestern United States, Baldwin fired a pistol that should contain only blanksbut a live bullet killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounded director Joel Souza.

Baldwin is being criminally investigated by the New Mexico justice system for involuntary manslaughter and could be sentenced to 18 months in prison, as is the film’s gunman, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

The 64-year-old actor also faced, until this Monday, an aggravating circumstance due to the use of a firearm, which can be punished with five years in prison.

This aggravating circumstance was challenged by his lawyers, because it is based on a New Mexico law that was not in effect at the time of the drama. Prosecutors then withdrew that circumstance “to avoid wasting time,” according to court documents.

Baldwin is also dfiling civilly by parents and sister of the victim, as announced on Thursday by the family’s lawyer.

Baldwin claims his innocence. He claims that he was given a supposedly harmless weapon and denies pulling the trigger; which is questioned by experts.

The drama shocked Hollywood and led to numerous calls to ban firearms on sets, where the use of live ammunition is theoretically prohibited.