Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com
The legal saga surrounding Alec Baldwin and the tragic “Rust” shooting has officially concluded. On Monday, the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office announced the withdrawal of its appeal against the dismissal of involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin, marking the end of the case.
The appeal, filed on November 21, aimed to challenge the court’s July 12 decision to dismiss charges related to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. However, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey’s decision to abandon the appeal cements Baldwin’s legal vindication.
“This was an unspeakable tragedy, but Alec Baldwin committed no crime,” his attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, said in a statement. “The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.”
The charges were dismissed with prejudice in July after a tumultuous hearing revealed prosecutorial misconduct. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer faulted the prosecution for deliberately withholding evidence from Baldwin’s defence team. She condemned the prosecution’s actions as “willful and deliberate misconduct” and cited a failure to meet discovery obligations, including inconsistent testimony from Morrissey herself.
“The late discovery of this evidence has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Judge Sommer stated, calling dismissal the only appropriate remedy.
Reflecting on the case, Baldwin shared his optimism for his career during a recent podcast interview. “I do believe things are coming back my way to work,” Baldwin said. “But I’ve also enjoyed the fact that so much of this case is not known because we didn’t have a full trial.”
The “Rust” tragedy, which occurred in October 2021, prompted widespread scrutiny over on-set safety protocols and the use of live ammunition in film productions.
