In a surprising turn of events, the judge in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial dismissed the case on Friday, agreeing with the actor’s lawyers that prosecutors had withheld crucial evidence.
The judge ruled that the “sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy” after the defense argued that the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office failed to properly record and disclose live ammunition that was later linked to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film ‘Rust’ in 2021.
Baldwin, who was visibly emotional in court, had pleaded not guilty and claimed the gun discharged accidentally after he followed instructions to point it at Hutchins. The dismissal means the involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor cannot be refiled.
Actor Alec Baldwin hugs a member of his legal team after the judge threw out the involuntary manslaughter case for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the Western movie “Rust,” Friday, July 12, 2024, in Santa Fe, N.M. (Ramsay de Give/Pool Photo via AP)
The special prosecutor in the case expressed disappointment with the ruling but said they “did everything humanly possible to bring justice” for Hutchins and her family. However, one of the co-special prosecutors resigned, stating she believed the evidence issue left the judge with no other choice but to dismiss the case.
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