Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ manslaughter case officially over as prosecutor drops notice of appeal

It’s been six months since a manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin was dropped in New Mexico. Prosecutors in the case decided not to appeal the decision, marking the official end of a long-running criminal case.

The 66-year-old actor was charged last January for a gun he had on the set of the film. Rust released in October 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The charge was dismissed last July after Baldwin’s lawyers alleged prosecutors buried the evidence.

On Monday, Dec. 23, the Santa Fe County District Attorney announced in a press release that prosecutors would no longer challenge the decision after Special Prosecutor Kari Morissey withdrew the state’s notice of appeal. The notice was filed on November 21.

“The Special Prosecutor intended to appeal the dismissal, but the Attorney General’s Office informed the Special Prosecutor that the Attorney General did not intend to pursue the appeal fully on behalf of the prosecution “, the press release said.

Related: Alec Baldwin Says He Wants to “Reveal What Really Happened” in Fatal Rust Filming: “There’s more to come”

The state still “strongly disagrees” with the court’s dismissal of the charges against Baldwin and denies withholding evidence.

“This is still about seeking justice for Halyna Hutchins,” Morrisey said in a statement, according to the release. “We regret that Mr. Baldwin will not be held accountable for the role he played in the death of Halyna Hutchins and, as we withdraw the appeal, we do so with the hope that the ongoing prosecution will bring some justice to the family of Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, told PEOPLE that “the decision to reject the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his lawyers have said all along.”

“It was an indescribable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime. The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico,” adds the actor’s lawyer.

On the same subject: Director of Alec Baldwin’s Rust Understands if people ‘don’t want to watch’ a movie after an on-set death: ‘No hard feelings’

In a follow-up press release, First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said that although the prosecutor did not agree with the dismissal, she supported Morrissey’s decision to withdraw his notice of intent to appeal.

“The FJDA remains firm in its mission to uphold justice. There is still much work to be done in the criminal courts, and our office will continue to diligently pursue cases with integrity, fairness and commitment to the rule of law.

The FJDA also noted how the case “has sparked industry-wide scrutiny, particularly in New Mexico, of safety protocols, particularly the use of firearms and live ammunition on the set.”

The Hutchins family also pushed for “safer practices in the industry,” according to the release. They are expected to make a statement on the special prosecutor’s decision on Tuesday, Dec. 24, their attorney Gloria Allred said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

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Rust Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, firearms manager on the Western Project, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the maximum sentence, in April.

Director Joel Souza was also injured during the incident and later returned to finish filming. Rust with Baudouin. The film was released on November 20.

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