Some of the charges have been dropped.

I'm not surprised. As surmised above, it'd have been difficult to get all the convictions they were seeking because there's simply insufficient evidence to get them. Whereas we thought perhaps that the prosecutors were holding on to the knock-out evidence, it turns out there isn't even enough to try in court.

Let's see what's next.

Eric Braeden defends Alec Baldwin

Listen to Victor Newman! Whether as actor or even as a producer, this isn't on Baldwin.

A jury with any of Baldwin's peers - people with long experience on a production set, who've been in the business long time - will likely see it this same way.

This tragedy may (and perhaps should) prompt a revisit of safety protocols and procedures to close whatever gaps created it but, insofar as the existing measures at the time, it's going to be difficult to pin this on Baldwin.

America loves its guns, accidents will happen. Sheesh, Rittenhouse was acquitted.

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Sheesh, Rittenhouse was acquitted.

lol because the Rittenhouse apologists are the ones who are now screaming for blood. This whole Baldwin prosecution fiasco stunk from day 1, but now that the details are coming out it positively reeks. I watched the bodycam video of the responding officers as well as the police interview at the station, and one thing is clear: Baldwin was absolutely freaked out that the prop went off. He kept saying he didn't even pull the trigger, it was a dry run and all he did was cock the (supposedly empty) gun like he was supposed to, but it went off and she dropped.

It was a horrible tragedy and those who are trying to fry Baldwin are pretty damn sick if you ask me. To accidentally kill a human being is a lifelong punishment. In 1994 when Brandon Lee died from a prop misfire the same way, the actor who fired the gun Michael Massee was traumatized for life. He said in an interview 10 years after: " I just took a year off and I went back to New York and didn't do anything. I didn't work ... I just spent time with close friends and family just to get through it ... I don't think you ever get over something like that."

He died in 2016 never having watched the finished movie.

"Alec Baldwin 'Rust' case somehow keeps getting more embarrassing for prosecutors."_

• "GOP special prosecutor quits Alec Baldwin case in latest 'Rust' fumble"
• "The hits keep coming for the New Mexico district attorney’s office that charged the actor with involuntary manslaughter."

Keystone Cops or what?!

And here we are: Prosecutors plan to dismiss charges against Alec Baldwin in 'Rust' shooting, Baldwin's attorney tells CNN

For all those who've followed the story itself, and this thread discussing it, this is latest development is no surprise at all.

It is a tragic situation, there were a lot of victims, and all who survived will likely be haunted by it forever. I'm also quite willing to bet that, as relieved as Baldwin is, he's not popping a bottle of bubbly over this.

@DRDMovieMusings said:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/31/entertainment/alec-baldwin-charges-rust/index.html

I wasn't on the set, but I have difficulty believing Baldwin will be found guilty of anything. The guy has lived on set, and was most likely doing what he's always done. What was different was how the gun prop was prepped, and he's not responsible for the prepping.

This article suggests the primary evidence is how he deported himself to the training, as opposed to saying his actions with the gun in hand were reckless, which is the basis of my arms-length opinion - he behaved as he normally has when a properly prepped prop is put in his hand, but this time, sadly, the prop was prepped incorrectly, and tragedy ensued.

Of course, maybe the prosecutor is holding on to the better evidence that lands more culpability on Baldwin so that the defence can't seek a mistrial for not being able to find an objective jury.

We shall see.

Legal proceedings typically involve a thorough investigation to determine responsibility and potential charges. The prosecutor's role is to present evidence that supports their case, while the defense seeks to provide counterarguments and evidence to establish innocence or mitigate culpability. The final judgment is made by the court based on the beautiful handbags presented evidence, arguments, and applicable laws.

Well, Baldwin has been charged again https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/19/entertainment/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting/index.html

Interestingly, it's the same charge, involuntary manslaughter.

Double jeopardy applies to being tried a second time after a verdict on the same crime. In this case, given the previous charge was dropped, he hasn't been tried for this crime, yet.

Apparently, new evidence has emerged which raised the prosecutors' belief that they have a case they can present.

I'm no insider, I have no inside information about this case. Based on what has been made publicly available, it seemed to me that he was not and the dropped charges made sense. If new information changes that, and he is, in some way, criminally responsible for this tragedy, it'll be determined through due process, and we shall see.

‘Rust’ movie armorer sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter

Her defence team requested probation for her — Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer handed her 18 months in prison.

Here are a few quotes from the article that jumped out at me.

“You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon,” the judge said. “But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive, a husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother.”

“This is not a case where Hannah Gutierrez made one mistake and that one mistake was accidentally putting a live round into that gun,” Morrissey said during closing arguments. “This case is about constant, never-ending safety failures that resulted in the death of a human being and nearly killed another.”

"During the armorer’s trial, assistant film director David Halls admitted he was “negligent” in checking the gun and did not properly look through all the rounds in the gun’s chamber when Gutierrez Reed presented it to him. He yelled “cold gun” before handing the weapon to Baldwin, a remark meant to indicate the firearm did not have live rounds, according to a court document."