In October 2021, Alec Baldwin accidentally killed his coworker Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of Rust. He was rehearsing a scene with what he thought was a prop gun with no live ammunition. Apparently, the armorer handed him a real gun with live ammunition, and the whole thing went sideways, killing Halyna and injuring Joel Souza. For years, there’s been back-and-forth about what to call this legally – manslaughter, murder, negligence, or a complete accident. For what it’s worth, I thought the armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was at fault (and she’s already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter) and that Alec Baldwin was guilty of – at most – criminal negligence as the producer of Rust. But even then, it seemed like a pretty difficult case to try. Which is why there was so much back-and-forth about the charges. Last year, the New Mexico prosecutor dropped the involuntary manslaughter charges… and then a short time later, the charges were brought back. The trial was about to begin next week. But now the case has been dismissed:
In a stunning turn of events, the judge in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial dismissed the case Friday, agreeing with the actor’s lawyers that prosecutors hid evidence that may have been linked to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in 2021.
“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” said 1st Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer. “The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy.” The dismissal was with prejudice, meaning the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor cannot be filed again.
Baldwin, 66, sobbed and put his face in his hands as Sommer announced her decision. He then embraced his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, as lawyers and spectators started filing out of the courtroom. Baldwin could have been sentenced to up to 18 months in prison if the jurors had unanimously agreed he committed the felony. The actor was rehearsing a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County on Oct. 21, 2021, when the prop revolver he was holding went off, killing Hutchins, 42, and wounding director Joel Souza. The actor had pleaded not guilty. He claims that he was not aware the revolver contained a live round and that it discharged accidentally after he followed instructions to point it toward Hutchins.
Baldwin’s lawyers asserted that the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office took possession of live rounds of ammunition as evidence but did not record them in the official case file or reveal their existence to the actor’s defense team. Kari Morrissey, the special prosecutor in the case, insisted the disputed ammunition was not linked to the case or hidden from Baldwin’s lawyers. Morrissey said after the ruling that she was disappointed by the court’s dismissal and disagreed, but respects the decision.
“I believe the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys,” Morrissey told reporters outside court.
So, the case was dismissed on a technicality. It would have been difficult to get a conviction anyway, in my opinion, and this whole situation has gotten pretty ridiculous. Halyna Hutchins’ death was an absolute tragedy and it should have never happened. There was absolutely no reason for any actor to handle a real gun with live ammunition. But I always thought that the drive to criminally charge Baldwin was partially politically motivated and partly because he’s… Alec Baldwin, you know? There was so much hesitation to say: this was a god-awful accident on Alec’s part.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
New York, NY – Alec Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin on the red carpet with Kerry Kennedy and Fran Drescher at the Robert F. Kennedy Jr Ripple of Hope Gala in New York City. Pictured: Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin BACKGRID USA 6 DECEMBER 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
New York City, NY – Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin take a united stroll, facing the media storm after allegations of Alec’s emotional unpredictability and dishonesty on the ‘Rust’ set surface, following the tragic accident. Pictured: Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin BACKGRID USA 8 APRIL 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
New York City, NY – Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin take a united stroll, facing the media storm after allegations of Alec’s emotional unpredictability and dishonesty on the ‘Rust’ set surface, following the tragic accident. Pictured: Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin BACKGRID USA 8 APRIL 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcXBgZoN1e8ClnJyXkpa5pcPIp6qYoZ6rvK3Bza2Yq7GPoq6vv8uarKCgpJq%2FoMDRopill5iWwKCuxJ6lmJyZqLqqv9Kem5iaqZTBqbG%2Bo6ydn5Vk