New Mexico prosecutors have withdrawn their appeal to reinstate involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin in connection with the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust. Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey filed the dismissal on Monday, solidifying a previous decision by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer to drop the case midway through trial due to allegations of evidence mishandling by police and prosecutors. Baldwin’s attorneys welcomed the decision, calling it a “final vindication” for the actor, who has consistently maintained his innocence, describing the incident as a tragic accident.
The shooting occurred during a rehearsal when Baldwin was handling a prop gun unknowingly loaded with a live round, which discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. While Baldwin’s charges were dismissed, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year and unsuccessfully appealed her conviction. Prosecutors argued she brought live rounds to the set, an accusation her defense attributed to insufficient investigation of the ammunition supplier. Separately, the film’s safety coordinator, David Halls, pleaded no contest to negligent use of a firearm and completed a sentence of unsupervised parole.
Local prosecutors stated their appeal efforts faced insurmountable barriers, compounded by the New Mexico attorney general’s decision not to pursue the case exhaustively. Despite this, the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office supported the Hutchins family in their civil fight for justice. Baldwin’s trial had been complicated by allegations that critical evidence was improperly handled, including ammunition introduced by a third party that was deemed unrelated by investigators but raised significant questions from Baldwin’s defense team.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
