Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter prosecution ends as New Mexico drops final appeal over the Rust shooting incident
Santa Fe: Alec Baldwin won’t be facing another trial for involuntary manslaughter. New Mexico prosecutors have decided to drop their appeal related to the tragic shooting on the set of Rust.
The case against Baldwin fell apart earlier this year after just three days. It turned out that prosecutors didn’t share some important evidence with the defense, including a stash of bullets.
Baldwin was the one holding the prop gun when it went off during filming in 2021, which led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
The actor, who is 66, insisted he never pulled the trigger. He said he was told to point the gun at the camera.
After the trial wrapped up, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed an appeal. She believed the case was wrongly dismissed by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer.
But on Monday, the district attorney’s office announced they wouldn’t be pursuing the appeal any further, even though they disagreed with the judge’s ruling.
Local prosecutors mentioned that there were “multiple barriers” that made it tough for them to handle the case properly.
They explained that these barriers affected their ability to prosecute the case fully and fairly.
Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, called this decision a “final vindication.” They said Baldwin and his team have always maintained that this was a terrible tragedy, but he didn’t commit any crime.
The judge’s ruling, which dismissed the manslaughter case against Baldwin and prevents it from being refiled, still stands.
Meanwhile, Rust’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is currently serving an 18-month sentence after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March for her role in Hutchins’ death.
Last month, her requests for a new trial and immediate release were turned down, but she’s still pushing for her case to be dismissed.