Alec Baldwin weeps as Rust shooting trial dismissed over withheld evidence
- The decision brought a sudden and stunning end to the manslaughter case over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
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 defence in the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.
Baldwin cried, hugged his two lawyers, 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.
Baldwin, 66, could have got 18 months in prison if convicted.
“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Marlowe Sommer said.
