A New Mexico judge on Friday brought a sudden and stunning end to the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin, dismissing it in the middle of the actor’s trial and saying it cannot be filed again.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense in the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
Baldwin cried, hugged his two attorneys, gestured to the front of the court, then turned to hug his crying wife Hilaria, holding the embrace for 12 seconds. He climbed into an SUV outside the Santa Fe courthouse without speaking to media.
Actor Alec Baldwin may face charges again in the “Rust” movie set shooting after a second analysis of the gun involved alleges he pulled the trigger.
Baldwin has consistently maintained that he did not pull the trigger of the pistol that fatally shot 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on the New Mexico set in October 2021.
In April, involuntary manslaughter charges against him were dismissed, with prosecutors saying the gun might have been modified before the shooting and malfunctioned. Prosecutorscommissioned a new analysis of the gun.
A new gun analysis report, dated Aug. 2, assembled for Santa Fe County special prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis found that the gun was not modified.
New Mexico prosecutors said they are filing felony criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin and the armorer of the low-budget western “Rust,” following the fatal shooting of the film’s cinematographer.
He will not be held accountable for the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, a rising star in the film industry. Hutchins was shot in the chest Oct. 21, 2021, as she rehearsed a scene with Baldwin and the film’s director, Joel Souza, who was also wounded.
Baldwin will be chargedwith two counts of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death.
An assistant director handed Alec Baldwin a prop firearm and yelled “cold gun” before the actor fired and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza, according to court documents…
The “cold gun” remark was meant to indicate that the weapon did not have live rounds, according to an affidavit for a search warrant for the movie set filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and obtained by CNN affiliate KOAT.
MORE..
Baldwin was handed one of three prop guns by assistant director David Halls that were set up in a cart by an armorer.
Halls did not know there were live rounds in the gun, the affidavit said. But when the he fired the gun, a live round hit Hutchins, 42, in the chest and wounded Souza, 48, who was nearby, according to the affidavit. Hutchins was pronounced dead at the hospital after being airlifted, the affidavit says.
The “cold gun” claim is made a little more murky when you consider this: Meg Hames from the TIMES reported: “A colleague was so alarmed by the prop gun misfires he sent a text message to the unit production manager. “We’ve now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe,” according to a copy of the message reviewed by the Times.”
Even more: The cinematographer who was accidentally killed, Halyna Hutchins, had been advocating for safer conditions for her team, said one crew member who was on the set and was tearful when the camera crew left…
Alec Baldwin, 68, shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the set of upcoming film Rust
Baldwin fired a prop gun that ejected a ‘projectile’ which is thought to have hit Hutchins in the stomach
She was taken to hospital by air ambulance after the 1.50pm shooting, but was pronounced dead shortly after
Jel Souza, 48, the film’s writer-director, was also wounded and taken to hospital but has since been released
Baldwin was taken for questioning by police but was not arrested and has not been charged. He was pictured outside the sheriff’s office looking distraught – doubled over into the curb in grief and weeping on the phone
Sheriffs say the weapon was fired either during a scene or rehearsal for a scene, though it is not clear whether it was fired on purpose or by accident. It is not clear how the ‘projectile’ was loaded, with a probe ongoing
First, McGowan tweeted out a link to the video interview with the message, “Told you everyone knew. No one cared. Men ran the show. Women toed the line. No more. #ROSEARMY.” Then, Asia Argento, who also accused Weinstein of raping her, tweeted a link to the video with her own, more pointed message: “Hey @AlecBaldwin you’re either a complete moron or providing cover for your pals and saving your rep. Maybe all three.” This missive caused Baldwin to fire back, tweeting, “If you paint every man w the same brush, you’re gonna run out of paint or men @AsiaArgento.”
The argument continued with others involved..
Baldwin struck back:
First, McGowan tweeted out a link to the video interview with the message, “Told you everyone knew. No one cared. Men ran the show. Women toed the line. No more. #ROSEARMY.” Then, Asia Argento, who also accused Weinstein of raping her, tweeted a link to the video with her own, more pointed message: “Hey @AlecBaldwin you’re either a complete moron or providing cover for your pals and saving your rep. Maybe all three.” This missive caused Baldwin to fire back, tweeting, “If you paint every man w the same brush, you’re gonna run out of paint or men @AsiaArgento.”
Rita Panahi, an Iranian-Australian columnist for the Herald Sun, tweeted a screenshot of the Argento-Baldwin exchange with the message: “But it was AFTER Polanski had fled justice AFTER drugging & anally raping a child. Get in the bin, @AlecBaldwin. Stay strong, @AsiaArgento.”..
And the highg school-ish exchange escalated.. continued.. Tweetstorms arose.
Then Baldwin said bye:
Baldwin responded to the online backlash by tweeting out a six-part apology, writing, “it is w some degree of sadness that I will suspend posting on this a TWITTER account for a period of and in the current climate…It was never my intention, in my public statements, to ‘blame the victim’ in the many sexual assault cases that have emerged recently…I simply posited that the settlement of such cases certainly delayed justice, though I am fully aware that those settlements were entered into w understanding that settlement is wise, intimidated into believing so. My heart goes out to all such victims. My goal is to do better in all things related to gender equality. Au revoir.”
