Alec Baldwin burst into tears after a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him related to a fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust.”
The trial collapsed just three days into the trial in Santa Fe, a short distance from where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot during rehearsals with a revolver Alec Baldwin was using.
This marks the second dismissal of the case against the actor since the incident in October 2021, ensuring he will not face trial again.
His legal team claimed that law enforcement and prosecutors concealed crucial evidence—a batch of bullets—that might have been linked to the incident.
A central issue in the trial was the presence of live ammunition on the set, with Baldwin’s attorneys questioning the thoroughness of the investigation and errors by the authorities who examined the scene.
The request for dismissal by Baldwin’s attorneys led to dramatic developments, including the resignation of one of the special prosecutors and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer pausing the trial to hear from several witnesses.
Baldwin’s attorney mentioned that the bullets could be linked to Ms. Hutchins’ death but were logged under a different case number.
The prosecutors maintained that the ammunition was unrelated to the incident and did not match the bullets found on the “Rust” set.
Nonetheless, the judge decided that this evidence should have been provided to Baldwin’s defense team.
Judge Marlowe Sommer stated from the bench, “The state’s intentional and deliberate withholding of this information cannot be corrected by the court.”
The dismissal by the judge, not as a mistrial but with prejudice, means prosecutors cannot recharge Baldwin.
“It was the nuclear option. The case is over,” said Joshua Ritter, a trial attorney from Los Angeles, in a statement.
Baldwin, renowned for his roles on “30 Rock” and his impersonations of Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” shed tears as the judge delivered a detailed explanation for the dismissal.
His wife, Hilaria, covered her mouth in shock, while other family members displayed a mix of tears and smiles.
After the decision, Baldwin embraced his lawyers and then his wife, who was right behind him. They left the courtroom together, passing through a throng of media, and entered a black vehicle without responding to any questions.
The revelation surfaced on Thursday when a crime-scene technician testified that Troy Teske, a retired police officer and friend of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s stepfather, handed over relevant live ammunition.
Teske was working with Seth Kenney, who was involved in managing props and ammunition on the set.
