BREAKING NEWSAlec Baldwin Sobs Tears of Joy as Judge Shockingly Dismisses Actor's Involuntary Manslaughter Trial: Photos
Alec Baldwin is a free man.
The actor's involuntary manslaughter trial was shockingly dismissed on Friday, July 12, with prejudice — meaning the case linked to the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set Rust in can never be charged against Baldwin again.
Alec Baldwin's prop gun fired on the set of 'Rust', killing Halyna Hutchins, in October 2021.
First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer granted Baldwin's legal team's motion to dismiss the case after 66-year-old's lawyers claimed evidence potentially linked to the investigation was hid by prosecutors.
The defense alleged live ammunition that had been presented to local law enforcement related to the probe into the deadly Rust shooting had been "concealed" from them.
Hilaria Baldwin got emotional after hearing her husband's involuntary manslaughter trial was dismissed.
The legal filing additionally accused prosecutors of relying on the assumption that "the live rounds were brought to the set by the movie's armorer," Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who had already been convicted in her own involuntary manslaughter trial related to Hutchins' death back in March.
After being found guilty, Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison, however, the armorer's lawyers plan on moving to have her case dismissed after news of Baldwin's trial being scrapped.
Alec Baldwin hugged his wife, Hilaria, after the judge announced the court's decision.
In Baldwin's dismissal motion, his defense claimed the state "concealed evidence potentially pointing to an external source of the live ammunition," in reference to Rust prop firearm supplier Seth Kenney.
Judge Sommer informed the court the state's discovery violation — a result of the late disclosure of a supplemental report on the ammunition evidence — "injected needless delay instant jury trial," approached "bad faith" and was "highly prejudicial to the defendant."
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"There is no way for the court to right this wrong," the judge declared. "The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy."
After the judge announced her decision, the star covered his hands over his face while sobbing uncontrollably before hugging his defense attorneys and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, as people began filing out of the courtroom.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin in October 2021.
The involuntary manslaughter trial against Baldwin was on day three in New Mexico when the judge dismissed the case.
If convicted, the Beetlejuice star would have faced 18 months in prison.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter after pulling the trigger of an 1873 single action revolver replica that killed Hutchins at Bonanza Creek Ranch in October 2021.
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In the filing submitted on Thursday, July 11, the 30 Rock actor's lawyers insisted: "Baldwin was unaware of a risk that live ammunition had been brought to the set of Rust."
"To support its theory that Baldwin should have known of that risk, the State is attempting to establish a link between Baldwin and the source of the live ammunition," his attorneys added.
