Alec Baldwin Cleared of Manslaughter Charges in Dramatic Court Decision

In a surprising twist, a New Mexico judge has dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin during his trial, ruling that the case cannot be refiled.

Evidence Misconduct Leads to Dismissal
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled the dismissal based on police and prosecutorial misconduct, citing the withholding of crucial evidence from Baldwin’s defense regarding the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the “Rust” film set.

“The late discovery of this evidence during the trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Judge Sommer explained. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith to show signs of scorching.”

Baldwin’s Emotional Reaction
Baldwin, who faced a potential 18-month prison sentence if convicted, was visibly moved, embracing his attorneys and his wife, Hilaria, outside the Santa Fe courthouse. He did not address the media.

Ongoing Civil Lawsuits
While Baldwin is cleared of criminal charges, he and the other producers still face civil lawsuits from Hutchins’ family.

Defense’s Argument on Withheld Evidence
The trial was paused earlier on Friday as the judge considered a defense motion to dismiss the case over ammunition evidence that was allegedly hidden by prosecutors. The defense argued that this evidence could have been critical to their case.

Prosecutors claimed the ammunition was irrelevant to the case and denied any concealment. The issue came up during the defense’s questioning of a sheriff’s crime scene technician about ammunition brought in by a “good Samaritan” connected to the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Prosecutorial Missteps
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey argued that the ammunition had no connection to the “Rust” set, suggesting it was an attempt by Gutierrez-Reed’s father to shield her from blame.

“This is a wild goose chase that has no evidentiary value whatsoever,” Morrissey said. “This is just a man trying to protect his daughter.”

Resignation of Prosecutor
Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson resigned earlier on Friday, a move Morrissey believed was linked to the public hearing itself rather than the evidence issues.

Final Remarks
Outside the courthouse, Morrissey expressed respect for the judge’s decision but maintained that the undisclosed evidence was not related to the “Rust” set.

“We did everything humanly possible to bring justice to Halyna and her family and we’re proud of the work we did,” Morrissey said.

This ruling ends the criminal proceedings against Baldwin, concluding a nearly three-year legal saga but leaving civil litigation pending.