The case against Alec Baldwin in the tragic shooting on the Rust set has officially ended. Nearly six months after a Santa Fe judge dismissed involuntary criminal charges, the Santa Fe District Attorney's Oཧffice announced ♔the case is closed, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter in October 2021 for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was accidentally shot with a live round while on set. Hutchins died when Baldwin pointed a gun♛ at her as they set up a camera shot on a movie set near Santa Fe. The gun fired a live round inadvertently loaded by the movie’s chief weapons handler, Hannah Gutierrez. Gutierrez was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced a month later. Baldwin was said to have unknowingly fired the Colt .45, though he never admitted to this. The prosecution argued Baldwin was reckless and criminally negligent in the incident.
The case was dismissed on the third day of trial by Judge Mary M🦋arlowe Sommer, who criticized the prosecution for failing to provide key evidence to the defense. The judge also criticized special prosecutor Kari Morrissey’s handling of the case. Baldwin’s defense team claimed the evidence was deliberately withheld and argued Baldwin, as an actor, was not responsible for gun safety on set.
While Baldwin’s lawyers did not expect the appeal to be pursued, the Hutchins family opposed the decision to withdraw it and is continuing to pursue a civil case against Baldwin and the producers of Rust in New Mexico. Special prosecutor Morrissey expressed regret that Baldwin would not be held accountable but hoped thꦺat the civil suits would bring justice for Hutchins’ family.
Hollywood on-set shootings have previously been resolved through civil lawsuits꧒, including the 1993 incident where Brandon Lee was killed when a blank round dislodged a bullet lodged in a revolver's barrel during the filming of The C༺row.
