A New Mexico judge has upheld her decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie. State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer reaffirmed her July ruling, stating that prosecutors failed to present any new factual or legal arguments that would warrant reversing her decision.
The involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin was initially dismissed halfway through the trial due to allegations of evidence withholding by police and prosecutors in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.” The case was marred by revelations of ammunition related to the shooting being mishandled by investigators.
Baldwin, who was the lead actor and co-producer of “Rust,” was involved in the fatal incident during a rehearsal when a gun he was holding discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger but rather pulled back the hammer of the revolver.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, appointed to the case after the resignation of a previous prosecutor, has expressed disagreement with the judge's decision and plans to appeal. The trial of movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death, also faced challenges related to evidence disclosure.
Despite attempts to dismiss her conviction or request a new trial, Gutierrez-Reed's appeal was rejected by Judge Marlowe Sommer, who found insufficient evidence to suggest a different trial outcome had the evidence been shared earlier.
The legal proceedings surrounding the tragic incident on the set of “Rust” continue to unfold as various parties involved navigate the complexities of the case.
