Baldwin Lawyers file surprise motion with application
The lawyers of Alec Baldwin attempted to dismiss the case against him in the lead-up to the trial for reckless manslaughter, but were unsuccessful. After requesting the dismissal once again, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer sends the jury home.
During the ongoing reckless manslaughter trial against Alec Baldwin, his lawyers have once again petitioned for the dismissal of the case. This move took the court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by surprise. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the jurors shortly after the start of the trial day. They were instructed to return on Monday for further witness testimonies.
In the ongoing trial, which began on Tuesday, the question at hand is whether the 66-year-old actor handled the fatal shot to the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western "Rust" in 2021 recklessly and therefore deserves incarceration.
Principal actor Baldwin had fired a revolver during rehearsals, as directed by the director. However, instead of harmless blank cartridges, live ammunition discharged. A bullet struck and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Baldwin's lawyers argue that the prosecution withheld crucial evidence in the case. In question are a series of cartridges that surfaced a few months ago. They could potentially shed light on the origin of the live ammunition on the set of the Western. This question remains unanswered at present.
In a separate trial, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapon safety on the "Rust" set, was already found guilty of reckless manslaughter. She had loaded the weapon containing live ammunition. In April, she was sentenced to the maximum term of 18 months in prison.
Baldwin's lawyers had attempted to halt the proceedings against him prior to the trial on multiple occasions. They accused the prosecution of procedural errors. However, their petitions for dismissal had been unsuccessful up to that point.
After the setback in securing the dismissal of the case earlier, Baldwin's legal team continued to challenge the processes of the trial in Hollywood. Despite his attorneys' repeated requests to dismiss the reckless manslaughter charges, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, overseeing the proceedings in Santa Fe, maintained the trial's progression, involving Alec Baldwin, the renowned actor.
