New Mexico prosecutors have announced plans to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter over a fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust in October 2021. The charges against Baldwin were previously dismissed in April, but “additional facts” have now emerged, leading the prosecutors to pursue the case before a grand jury next month.
“After extensive investigation over the past several months, additional facts have come to light,” said Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, the special prosecutors who have been leading the investigation.
“We believe the appropriate course of action is to permit a panel of New Mexico citizens to determine from here whether Mr Baldwin should be held over for criminal trial,” they added.
Baldwin’s lawyers have criticized the investigation as “misguided” and stated they will answer any charges in court.
Charges were dropped earlier this year after it was revealed the gun used in the shooting had been modified with a new trigger, potentially increasing the chances of a misfire, but prosecutors had the weapon forensically tested and replaced certain parts. Ballistics and forensics experts from Arizona and New Mexico concluded that the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled.