Alec Baldwin Says He 'Owes Everything' to Wife Hilaria and His Lawyer After 'Rust' Charges Dropped

Baldwin reacted shortly after his lawyers announced the charges were dropped.

Alec Baldwin is reacting after his lawyers announced all criminal charges against the actor in connection with the deadly Rust shooting case have been dropped.

The actor took to Instagram moments after the startling development in the case, posting a pixilated photo of him and his wife Hilaria Baldwin, though it's unclear when it was taken. In the pic, the couple appears to be at a dimly lit restaurant and she's sitting on his lap while he leans his head on her shoulder.

It's clear Baldwin feels a debt of gratitude based on his caption.

"I owe everything I have to this woman," wrote the actor before adding in parentheses, "and to you, Luke," which is in reference to his lawyer, Luke Nikas.

Hilaria, who shares seven children with the actor, has stuck by Baldwin's side since tragedy struck on the set of his Western film. Earlier this month, she penned a tribute to Baldwin for his 65th birthday and said she "will always hold you up."

However, Hilaria shared a heartfelt photo of Baldwin holding her up in an embrace, as she sat curled on his lap, shortly after the charges were dropped, and captioned the pic simply with a heart emoji.

Nikas, alongside Baldwin's other attorney, Alex Spiro, released a statement to ET on Thursday announcing that the New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney's Office dropped the two counts of involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin.

"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," the statement read.

In a statement to ET, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis explained why they ultimately decided to drop the charges against Baldwin.

"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 in the case against Alexander 'Alec' Rae Baldwin, III," the statement read. "Consequently, we cannot proceed under the current time constraints and on the facts and evidence turned over by law enforcement in its existing form. 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 on-going."

The statement concluded that "charges against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed remain unchanged."

The development also comes on the same day the Western film was scheduled to resume principal photography at Yellowstone Film Ranch, and a year and a half after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, which triggered mounting legal trouble for Baldwin.

In January, Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the gun he was holding on set discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding the film's director, Joel Souza. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to the charges and has repeatedly insisted he did not pull the trigger on the prop gun. 

Gutierrez-Reed was also was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

In a statement to ET, her lawyers, Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion, said, "The new special prosecutor team has taken a very diligent and thorough approach to the entire investigation, which we welcome and have always welcomed. They are seeking the truth and we are also. The truth about what happened will come out and the questions that we have long sought answers for will be answered. We fully expect at the end of this process that Hannah will also be exonerated."

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