The Facts
On Thursday, New Mexico prosecutors announced that they're dropping involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin over the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.
This comes after prosecutors learned that Baldwin's prop gun, a Colt .45 pistol, had been modified with a new trigger in a way that made a misfire more likely, stating that the newly revealed facts "demand further investigation and forensic analysis."
The Spin
Narrative A
This case has been botched from the get-go. The investigators failed to determine how live bullets ended up on a movie set while turning a blind eye to the fact that live rounds were found in multiple locations, and that firearms had reportedly gone off by accident before this fatal incident. Moreover, the decision to drop the involuntary manslaughter charges raises questions about whether the previous team of prosecutors ever had sufficient evidence before deciding to charge Baldwin.
Narrative B
Indicting Baldwin was undoubtedly wrong given he had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the firearm, as he relied on the role of professionals whose job it was to ensure safety on set. Nevertheless, Hutchins's death was not an accident — it was the tragic and wholly avoidable result of Hollywood's obsession with authenticity in its pursuit of profit. This incident highlights the urgent need to legislate, or even ban, the use of real weapons on movie sets.
