On Friday, in a shocking turn of events, District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against actor and producer Alec Baldwin after finding that crucial evidence had been withheld by the state. This evidence could have provided clarity on how live rounds ended up on the “Rust” film set, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot.
The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning Baldwin cannot be prosecuted again for this incident. Baldwin, who faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted, wept as Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer announced the decision. “There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” she said.
The trial had been a dramatic affair. Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter after a gun he was rehearsing with discharged a live round, despite being told it was “cold” and should not have been able to fire. The shooting occurred in 2021, resulting in Hutchins’ death.
The dismissal came after an unexpected turn of events in the courtroom. A manila envelope containing previously unexamined evidence was introduced. Judge Marlowe Sommer donned blue latex gloves, opened the envelope with scissors, and examined the ammunition inside.
Baldwin’s lawyers argued that the state had failed to disclose this evidence, which had been requested during the discovery phase. “They buried it,” said Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, accusing the state of hiding the evidence under a different case number.
This non-disclosure presented a significant legal issue, as the state is obligated to provide all key evidence to the defense. The judge’s ruling lifted a considerable burden from Baldwin, whose life and career had been overshadowed by the potential for criminal liability for nearly three years.
Baldwin has consistently denied responsibility for Hutchins’ death, stating he had no reason to believe the gun was loaded with live ammunition. Live rounds are typically banned on film sets, and witnesses confirmed the gun was declared “cold.”
Throughout the trial, Baldwin’s defense team had sought to dismiss the case, challenging various aspects, including the grand jury proceedings and the FBI’s testing of the gun. All attempts were initially rejected until this critical evidence came to light.
During a tense hearing, Baldwin’s defense argued that the withheld evidence deprived them of the chance to build a proper defense, particularly on the crucial question of how live rounds ended up on the set of “Rust.” The lead prosecutor, Kari T. Morrissey, blamed the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, for the live rounds, which Gutierrez-Reed denied. Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for loading the live round and is serving an 18-month sentence.
The new evidence came from Troy Teske, a friend of Gutierrez-Reed’s stepfather, Thell Reed, a well-known Hollywood armorer. Teske, a retired police officer, had turned over some ammunition to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, believing it was related to the case. The crime scene technician, Marissa Poppell, testified that she saved the ammunition but filed it under a different case number.
Despite the prosecutor’s initial assertion that the ammunition was irrelevant, Judge Marlowe Sommer’s examination revealed that at least one round resembled the live rounds found on the set. This prompted the judge to send the jury home for the weekend.
The prosecutor admitted she had not seen all the ammunition provided by Teske in person. This oversight led to a significant twist in the case, ultimately resulting in the dismissal.
Baldwin’s case has seen many developments. Initially charged in January 2023, the manslaughter charge was downgraded due to a legal technicality, and a mandatory five-year prison sentence was reduced to a maximum of 18 months. The special prosecutor resigned after Baldwin’s lawyers challenged her dual role as a state lawmaker, and a new prosecution team temporarily dismissed the charges before deciding to proceed with a grand jury.
The investigation has faced criticism, notably from Robert Shilling, a former chief of the New Mexico State Police, who condemned the initial handling of the case by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
As the potential for dismissal became apparent, Baldwin seemed to relax after two intense days of trial. He shared a moment of relief with his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and his brother, Stephen Baldwin, in the courtroom.
Come on, now! You all knew Baldwin would walk. With MLG wanting to make this state Hollywood 2, it’d be a bad look to actually hold him accountable. This is bullshit and shameful…but it’s New Mexico and New Mexican courts.
Bee, you beat me to the punch. MLG still wants the secretary of state in Bidens second term ( she is too stupid to do anything good). NM: first in bad things but last in good things.
“Hollywood” needs to be held accountable for firearms violence – film makers regularly demonstrate unsafe and dangerous firearms handling (regardless of Alec’s guilt and negligence, the fact is someone got shot on a movie set)- not to mention using violence and threats as a constant solution to keep story lines moving.
Turn it off; stop going to movies. It’s easier than you think.
Seems like Gutierrez reed should get off now too…..
What’s for Lunch?
No surprise at all. MLG and her minions certainly had their “thumbs” on the scale of justice. IMHO they took deliberate steps to make sure evidence was sequestered off-site and magically delivered to the court at the appropriate time. MLG’s administration follows the law, when it’s convenient for them, and they also have their lips firmly fastened to the back end of the Hollywood Movie industry, so the outcome for Baldwin was pre-determined….. Just another embarrassment for New Mexico. We’re #1 in the nation for abortions up-to-birth plus criminals & homeless infect all of our streets. We recently had an individual shoot his step-mother at a graduation ceremony and he was released with an ankle monitor. Pretty clear that our NM courts are in shambles!
I’ve said it b4, will say it again: NM – last in the best, 1st in the worst
You get what you pay for. Baldwin had a very high priced New York city attorney.
I do not like Alec Baldwin. He is an uncouth idiot. But if NM screwed up he deserves justice. I thought the whole incident was stupid and tragic. There should have been no live rounds any where near that movie set. After over 120 years of movie making I fail to understand why they have guns on a set that can fire real bullets. I never believed Baldwin wanted to hurt or kill anyone. And he is out millions to his lawyers. But the worse punishment is still his. He lived under the uncertainty of the indictment for 3 years which is also a punishment. But, lastly, he will have to live with the fact for the rest of his life, that his carelessness killed an innocent woman.
I’m no fan of Baldwin, and I was very interested in seeing how the question of whether a gun handler—even when the handling is in a make-believe setting and the handler is assured the gun is cold—should be responsible when the trigger is pulled and someone wrongfully does.
That notwithstanding, when evidence is mishandled by the State or its agents, the remedy is clear, and in this case, I see the result as correct.
I can’t stand that shrew in the Roundhouse, but this is not of her doing, and to level baseless claims against her only hurts our side. She has done enough unconstitutional damage without us resorting to this.
A liberal actor in blue Santa Fe. What could go wrong?
What do you expect . He is a woke hollywood puppet in a corrupt N.M. . He said he did not pull the trigger . Even the FBI said this gun would not fire unless the trigger was pulled .
I did not want him to walk, but I watched and NM did a lousy job of investigating. Morrisey has some responsibility and we might want to look at her net income in a few months. She was instrumental in him getting off and should have recused herself. Even showed extreme support of his politics during the trial.
Cant wait for the SNL skit !
As we all knew he made a young lady into his scapegoat! He should be held accountable and charged with negligent use of a fire arm at minimum!!! WE can only hope KARMA kicks his ass in and the blue eyes of the lady he shot star at him every night in his dreams!