ALEC Baldwin broke down in tears and hugged his wife Hilaria as other family members wept in the public gallery after a New Mexico judge dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against him. The judge agreed with Baldwin’s lawyers that prosecutors and police had withheld evidence on the source of the live round that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.
According to Reuters, New Mexico district court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer threw out the case just three days into Baldwin’s trial. The actor’s lawyers alleged a “cover up” by prosecutors, who have faced numerous challenges since first filing charges 18 months ago.
“The state’s withholding of the evidence was wilful and deliberate,” Sommer said in delivering her decision. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice.”
The Reuters report details that Baldwin’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, told the court that the Santa Fe sheriff’s office took possession of live rounds in March as evidence but failed to list them in the “Rust” investigation file or disclose their existence to defense lawyers.
The case centered around an on-set shooting in which Baldwin was directed to point a revolver at Hutchins as she set up a camera shot. The weapon fired a .45 caliber round inadvertently loaded by the movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez.
The dismissal came after defense lawyers discovered discrepancies in the ammunition evidence presented by the prosecution. Some rounds matched those found on the “Rust” set, contradicting earlier testimony.
Reuters reports that many legal analysts criticized the case, with New York defense attorney Duncan Levin stating, “The prosecution felt it had to cheat to get the result it wanted. This is the worst of our system on display.”
The dismissal of Baldwin’s case raises questions about its potential impact on Gutierrez’s conviction, which is currently under appeal.
