Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Case Dismissed Due To Hidden Evidence
Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter case about the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," has been dismissed.
How The Case Broke Down
The trial, which began just three days earlier, concluded dramatically after a revelation that live ammunition handed to the sheriff's office by a retired police officer, Troy Teske, had not been disclosed to the defence. Teske, who is connected to the film’s armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, turned over the rounds, which prosecutors claimed were unrelated to the case.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer found that the prosecution and police had withheld the crucial evidence regarding how live rounds ended up on set, and that the withheld evidence compromised the fairness of the proceedings.
“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Judge Sommer said.
Prosecutors argued that the bullets provided by Teske did not match those found on the "Rust" set, but the judge ruled that they should have been shared with Baldwin's defence team. The mishandling of evidence led to an extraordinary sequence of events, including the resignation of special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson.
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies expressed disappointment at the case's abrupt end, stating, “We are disappointed that the case did not get to the jury.” Meanwhile, lead state prosecutor Kari Morrissey denied any intention to mislead the court, explaining that the ammunition in question looked different from those found on the "Rust" set.
Charges Against Baldwin Officially Dropped
The dismissal marks the second time charges against Baldwin involving the incident on the set of Rust have been dropped. This time, the judge ruled that the case cannot be filed again, ending Baldwin's criminal liability nearly three years after the incident. The actor would have faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Baldwin, 66, who has consistently denied pulling the trigger, was emotional in court, breaking down in tears and hugging his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and other family members. The actor's lawyer, Alex Spiro, argued that the Santa Fe sheriff’s office failed to list live rounds in the investigation file, undermining the defence's case.
Baldwin and other producers still face civil lawsuits from Hutchins’s family and crew members. The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter but plans to appeal and may seek a similar motion to dismiss her case based on Baldwin's verdict.
With the criminal case now behind him, Baldwin, known for his roles in "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live," is set to move forward with his career. He has a new film, "Clear Cut," releasing next week and is also slated to star in a reality TV series next year.
