Preparedness
Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Charges Dismissed: New Evidence Shakes Rust Case
In an unforeseen development that has rocked Hollywood, a New Mexico judge has dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin, originally filed in relation to the tragic October 2021 shooting on the set of “Rust.” This incident resulted in the death of 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and also caused injury to director Joel Souza.
Baldwin’s defense team had contended that the prosecution was concealing new evidence after failing to turn over said evidence to the defense. This evidence consisted of bullets, deemed pertinent to the case by the defense.
“The state is highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stated in response to the defense’s argument.
Lead prosecutor Kari Morrissey testified that she did not believe the bullets held any evidentiary value, but Judge Sommer disagreed. She found that the late introduction of this evidence during the trial had negatively impacted the just conduct of the proceedings.
“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,” Judge Sommer declared. She further justified the dismissal, stating, “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”
Following the judge’s decision, Baldwin was seen shedding tears of relief. The dismissal signifies that no new charges can be brought against him relating to this incident. Had he been convicted, Baldwin could have faced up to 18 months behind bars.
Meanwhile, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the 24-year-old armorer who handed Baldwin the fatal weapon, was convicted of involuntary homicide in May for her involvement in Hutchins’s death. She was responsible for ensuring the safety of all ammunition and firearms on the set.
Gutierrez-Reed received the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison, a decision influenced in part by her perceived lack of remorse and derogatory comments about jurors recorded during the trial.
Throughout the proceedings, Baldwin consistently maintained his innocence. He has even gone on record stating that he didn’t pull the trigger.
“The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at someone and pull the trigger on them, never,” Baldwin declared during a 2021 interview.
There were additional claims made by Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney that the tragic incident on the “Rust” set could have been an act of sabotage. The movie was already mired in controversy due to union worker protests over poor working conditions on the low-budget film.
This unfortunate event has sparked widespread discourse about on-set safety, and the dismissal of charges against Baldwin will undoubtedly add another layer to the ongoing conversation.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Joe
July 26, 2024 at 11:18 am
He should off got jail time. People like her m that has money can buy there’ way out of going to jail.
Rat Wrangler
July 26, 2024 at 11:22 am
There are no requirements in Hollywood that actors must know how to handle the real weapons their props represent. Had there been such rules, then Mr. Baldwin would be guilty of violating that training. Mr. Baldwin was assured by two different people that the weapon he was handed was cold, indicating that it was a prop that could not fire a live round. Just because he was lied to does not mean he should bear responsibility for someone else’s actions, whether they were a mistake or not. If I were him, I would sue those who prepared the weapon, claiming that they purposely set him up to be charged and convicted of a crime he did not commit.
T. Bozet
July 26, 2024 at 11:44 am
Rank does have it’s privileges. Is anyone surprised at this outcome?
Luis
July 26, 2024 at 12:22 pm
From the beginning i stated that he was going to get away with this murder, remember he is part of the demoniac system that exists in Washington. Another DEMON CRAT that gets away with murder…
Jed Dunkin
July 26, 2024 at 1:47 pm
Anyone who is trained and competent knows that all responsibility lies with the person who has possession of the weapon. As a military veteran when handed a weapon I know to inspect the weapon and the ammunition to make sure the ammunition is correct and the weapon is in proper working condition regardless of who hands it to me. If this were a car accident it would be the driver at fault not the person who handed them the keys. I smell a rat here. Did Baldwin bring rich slide money or make promises to help the judge get into an acting job? This case needs further investigation by a non prejudice and competent investigator. Why does the woman loading the gun go to jail but not the shooter? This ordeal stinks to high heaven.
Don
July 26, 2024 at 2:48 pm
Just another commie judge from Calipornia is all I see. Baldwin is responsible for not checking the gun, then who pointed the gun AND pulled the trigger. Totally irresponsible like the judge…..or was the judge paid???
Gail Parker
July 26, 2024 at 10:07 pm
He is guilty regardless!! He was let off because he a Far Left Hollyweird Elite 👿
Joseph Kinge
July 26, 2024 at 11:14 pm
Why are real bullets EVER allowed on a movie set? Somebody bought them!!!!!
Chuck
July 27, 2024 at 4:55 am
The #1 rule of firearm safety that I learned as a child was “Don’t point a gun at a person.”. The corollary to that was ” Don’t point a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot.”
There is also the rule that if someone hands you a firearm and tells you that it’s not loaded, you should OPEN it to make sure they really had checked it for ammo before they passed it to you.
I know Baldwin is very anti-gun, but being anti-gun doesn’t excuse a person from knowing basic firearm safety. The armorer who got the 18 month sentence was a scapegoat. She had little experience, and that was likely why she was hired for that job. She could be pushed around to do what Baldwin wanted.
There appear to have been many opportunities for live ammo to have introduced onto the set. Those should have been eliminated.
This incident should never have happened.
Don
July 27, 2024 at 11:36 am
Just another bought and paid for commie judge who needs disbarred. Baldwin and Baldwin alone was responsible for the shooting since he aimed the pistol AND pulled the trigger. I have to wonder how much the judge was paid for it.
Don
July 27, 2024 at 11:37 am
I didn’t know I’d already voted.