New Mexico prosecutors have decided not to pursue an appeal of the dismissal of an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie “Rust.” Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the appeal of the decision made in July to dismiss the charge against Baldwin. Baldwin’s defense attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, stated that this decision was a final vindication of Baldwin’s innocence, emphasizing that he committed no crime.
The decision to drop the appeal came after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case halfway through the trial due to allegations of evidence being withheld from the defense by police and prosecutors. Baldwin’s trial was further complicated by revelations that ammunition related to the shooting was brought into the sheriff’s office months prior, but deemed unrelated by prosecutors.
The district attorney’s office explained that under state law, the New Mexico attorney general would have been responsible for continuing the appeal, but they did not intend to pursue it further. Baldwin, who was the lead actor and co-producer of “Rust,” was involved in the shooting incident during a rehearsal on set, which resulted in the death of Hutchins and injuries to director Joel Souza.
In a separate case, movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to one and a half years in a state penitentiary for involuntary manslaughter related to Hutchins’ death. Prosecutors held Gutierrez-Reed responsible for bringing live ammunition onto the set, where it was prohibited, and failing to follow gun safety protocols.
The incident has led to industry-wide scrutiny of safety protocols, particularly regarding the use of firearms and live ammunition on film sets. Several civil lawsuits have been filed against Baldwin and the producers of “Rust,” including a complaint by Hutchins’ family.
Overall, the decision not to appeal the dismissal of the charge against Baldwin marks the end of a legal battle that has brought attention to safety measures in the film industry.
