Alec Baldwin broke down in tears as a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him for the fatal shooting on the film set of “Rust.”
The trial fell apart three days into the proceedings in Santa Fe, near where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot during rehearsals with a revolver Baldwin was using.
This is the second time the case against Baldwin has been dismissed since the October 2021 incident, and he won’t be tried again.
Baldwin’s lawyers claimed that police and prosecutors hid evidence, including a batch of bullets that could have been linked to the shooting.
The main issue in the case was how live ammunition ended up on set, and Baldwin’s legal team criticized the investigation for mistakes.
Their motion to dismiss led to a series of events, including the resignation of one of the special prosecutors and the judge dismissing the jury to hear from witnesses.
The bullets, according to Baldwin’s lawyer, might be connected to Hutchins’ death but were filed under a different case number.
Prosecutors argued that the ammunition wasn’t related to the case and didn’t match bullets found on the “Rust” set. However, the judge ruled that this information should have been shared with Baldwin’s defense team.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stated that the withholding of evidence by the state was intentional and deliberate, making it impossible to correct the wrong.
The charges against Baldwin cannot be refiled because the case was dismissed with prejudice. Los Angeles trial attorney Joshua Ritter called it “the nuclear option” and said, “The case is over.”
In court, Baldwin, famous for his role in “30 Rock” and portraying Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” wept as the judge detailed her reasons for the dismissal.
His wife, Hilaria, and other family members also showed their emotions. Baldwin hugged his lawyers and his wife before leaving without commenting.
The evidence came to light when a crime-scene technician revealed that retired police officer Troy Teske had turned over live ammunition that could be related to the case.
Teske is friends with the step-father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year.
The court heard from several witnesses about the bullets, including the prosecutors. One of the prosecutors, Kari Morrissey, testified about why the bullets weren’t shared with the defense.
Her co-prosecutor, Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, resigned as the judge considered dismissing the case, disagreeing with the decision to have a public hearing on the evidence claims.
Halyna Hutchins was an accomplished cinematographer, and this case has highlighted significant concerns about safety and oversight on film sets.
This summary is based on a report by BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx8290qn0n5o