process - Case against Alec Baldwin dropped - Tears in court
The process drama surrounding the fatal shooting during the filming of "Rust" Western takes an unexpected turn - in the Santa Fe (New Mexico) court, there are emotional scenes. Actor Alec Baldwin, charged with involuntary manslaughter, breaks down in tears as the judge draws a line in the case. At the request of Baldwin's defense team, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer of Santa Fe (New Mexico) halted the proceedings against the Hollywood star on Friday (local time).
The defense had accused the prosecution of withholding evidence and serious misconduct. Judge Sommer, with a serious expression, agreed after a legal back-and-forth in the courtroom. The late discovery of these pieces of evidence would influence the "fundamental fairness" of the trial, Sommer said. There is no way for the court to correct this oversight, she continued. The dismissal of the case is the only legal remedy.
Baldwin weeps
Baldwin listens to the judge's remarks with tears in his eyes. He removes his glasses, visibly overwhelmed, and places a hand over his eyes. The actor breaks down in tears, hugging his lawyer, then falls into the arms of his wife, Hilaria Baldwin.
In the event of a conviction, the eight-time father faced up to 18 months in prison. After this dramatic turn, he leaves the courthouse as a free man. On his way out, he is bombarded with shouts from reporters, but Baldwin remains silent.
In the ongoing trial since Tuesday, the question was whether the 66-year-old actor had handled the fatal shot at the camera woman on the set of "Rust" Western in 2021 negligently and should therefore be sent to prison. Lead actor Baldwin had fired a revolver during rehearsals as directed by the director. Instead of harmless blank cartridges, live ammunition was discharged. A bullet hit cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (42) and killed her.
Accusations against the prosecution
Baldwin's defense argued that the prosecution had withheld crucial evidence. It concerns a series of bullet casings that surfaced a few months ago and were presented to the court by the judge on Friday. She inspected the ammunition in the presence of the defense and the prosecution. From the defense's perspective, this ammunition should have been part of the ballistic investigation earlier – the prosecution had withheld it, argued Baldwin's lawyers.
Unanswered questions
The question of where the live ammunition came from remains unanswered. In the spring, young armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed stood before the Santa Fe court. She was responsible for safety during the handling of weapons on the set. In addition to blank cartridges and dummy cartridges, the investigators found six live rounds. One was loaded into the revolver cylinder. The prosecution accused Gutierrez-Reed of disregarding safety precautions and not checking the ammunition. The jury found the woman guilty in March of involuntary manslaughter. Judge Sommer sentenced her to the maximum sentence - 18 months in prison.
A former police officer had handed over the sharp ammunition, which was recently presented in court in Santa Fe, to investigators in March. The lead prosecutor, Kari T. Morrissey, decided, however, that it had nothing to do with the case because she perceived significant differences between the bullets and the ones from the "Rust" set. The judge questioned this. Furthermore, Morrissey was sharply reprimanded for not listing this potential evidence in the "Rust" trial documents and withholding it from the defense. The evidence had been deliberately hidden, lamented Luke Nikas, Baldwin's attorney, in court.
In a first reaction after the trial, Morrissey expressed disappointment. "I think the defense has misinterpreted the significance of the evidence, but I must accept the court's decision," she said Friday, according to CNN.
Long Legal Battle
For Baldwin, a long legal journey has now come to an end. From the start, the actor had maintained his innocence. Just a few weeks after the fatal shot, he declared in a TV interview, "I didn't pull the trigger." He would never point a gun at a person and pull the trigger. He had "no idea" how the live ammunition got into the gun.
The first indictment against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed was then filed in January 2023, but the charges against the actor were dropped three months later. It was stated that further investigations and forensic analyses were necessary. For example, the FBI investigators were examining whether a possible malfunction of the Colt could have caused the gun to fire. However, a weapons expert's report revealed that the hammer had been pulled. With new evidence in hand, the prosecution went back to court against Baldwin in January 2024 - he pleaded not guilty again.
New Proceedings in the Case
Despite the end of the Baldwin trial, there are still open questions - it is possible that other aspects of the case will be heard in court again. Brian Panish, an attorney for the victim's husband, stated in a reaction, "We respect the court's decision. We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in connection with the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins."
Gutierrez-Reed has already filed an objection to the verdict against her, and the armorer is demanding a new trial. In addition, the public will soon learn more from the Baldwins. In June, the couple had announced a new family project. The reality show "The Baldwins" is expected to start on the US network TLC next year.
- After the court hearing, Alec Baldwin is seen leaving the courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico, surrounded by a crowd of reporters, but he remains silent.
- During the trial, the defense team accused the Public Prosecutor's Office of New Mexico of withholding critical evidence, specifically bullet casings.
- Hilaria Baldwin, the wife of Alec Baldwin, consoles him as he cries in the courthouse after the judge's ruling.
- Hernanzoo, the production company responsible for the movie "Rust," where the incident occurred, has announced that they are ceasing production indefinitely.
- The United States Attorney's Office in New Mexico has stated that they are reviewing the judge's decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin.
- Halyna Hutchins' husband, Matthew Hutchins, has also filed a lawsuit against Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and others for wrongful death and negligence.
- The Santa Fe Police Department is still investigating the incident and has stated that the case is still open.
- Maria Pendleton, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe Public Prosecutor's Office, expressed disappointment with the judge's decision but agreed to comply with it.
