Prosecutor drops appeal to reinstate charges against Alec Baldwin in “Rust” shooting
New Mexico prosecutors have withdrawn their appeal Reinstate charges Against Alec Baldwin There was a fatal shooting on the set of his movie “Rust.”
Special Prosecutor Cary Morrissey on Monday withdrew the state’s appeal, which was initially filed in November, according to a statement from the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
“The appeal will challenge the court’s dismissal of criminal charges against producer and actor Alec Baldwin, including manslaughter in the tragic shooting death of cinematographer Halina Hutchings on set. rust October 21, 2021,” the statement said.
“The FJDA commends Morrissey for his work in prosecuting two cases of this magnitude and national attention, including Successfully prosecuted Hannah Gutierrez Reed“, the District Attorney’s Office said. “The FJDA stands with the Hutchins family as they continue their fight for justice in civil court. “
Attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, who represented Baldwin, told CBS News in a statement, “Today’s decision to deny the appeal is a reflection on Alec Baldwin and his attorneys from the beginning. The ultimate proof of what was said – this was an unspeakable tragedy, but Alec Baldwin committed a crime. “There was no crime in New Mexico. “
The decision to dismiss the appeal solidified a decision made midway through the trial by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, dismiss case Allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
Baldwin’s trial was disrupted by news that a man brought ammunition into the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in March, which the man said may have been involved in Hutchins’ killing. Prosecutors said they believed the munitions were unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s attorney said investigators “buried” the evidence in a separate case file and successfully filed a motion to dismiss.
The district attorney’s office said the New Mexico attorney general would have continued the appeal but “does not intend to pursue an outright appeal on behalf of the prosecution.”
“As a result, the state’s efforts to continue prosecuting cases in a fair and comprehensive manner have encountered multiple obstacles, compromising its ability to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” the local prosecutor’s statement said.
The shooting occurred during rehearsals for the Western film “Rust,” in which Baldwin stars and serves as a producer. Baldwin was armed with a prop gun that was loaded with live ammunition, and the bullets fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin insists he never pulled the trigger of the gun and had no idea it contained live ammunition, which is prohibited by industry and union rules.
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was accused of loading the gun, was convicted of manslaughter in March. After the charges against Baldwin were dismissed, she appealed, but in September a judge upheld the conviction.
Prosecutors also accused Gutierrez-Reed of bringing live ammunition onto the set, but defense attorneys argued that the film’s ammunition supplier was not properly investigated. Gutierrez-Reed insisted she had no idea how the gun was loaded with live ammunition. She was acquitted of tampering with evidence at trial.
David Halls, the film’s security coordinator, did not enter a plea to negligent use of a firearm last year. He completed six months of unsupervised parole.
