Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin's lawyers have said that criminal charges against him will be dropped in the October 2021 fatal shooting of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The prosecutor made this claim citing "new facts" that demand additional examination.
"Over the last few days and in preparation for the May 3, 2023, preliminary hearing, new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis," said a statement by New Mexico attorneys Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis.
"We therefore will be dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charges against Mr. Baldwin to conduct further investigation.
"This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability, and charges may be refiled. Our follow-up investigation will remain active and ongoing."
The attorneys said charges against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the young armourer who had been responsible for weapons on the set of the film, remain unchanged.
The move was applauded by Baldwin's attorneys, and it will likely be formalised at a court hearing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Friday.
"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," said attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro.
According to Fox News, the news comes as Baldwin returned to the set of "Rust," now in Montana, for the first day of filming Thursday. Principal photography began roughly a year and a half after the production was halted due to Hutchins' on-set death.
In recent months, the criminal case against Baldwin has run into numerous legal roadblocks.
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