Since cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after a prop gun misfire back in October 2021 on the set of Rust, the movie’s star and producer Alec Baldwin has been hit with a series of charges and court dates to determine whether he should serve time for the incident. On Friday, Baldwin could be seen crying and hugging his wife after New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin. A day later, he has now responded to the decision.
Alec Baldwin Shares Message After Rust Case Dismissal
Judge Sommer ruled to dismiss Baldwin’s case based on misconduct of police and prosecutors in regards to withholding evidence from the defense in the 2021 Rust incident that led to Hutchins’ untimely death. Here’s how Baldwin responded on his Instagram:
There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now. To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.
In the July 12 decision, Sommer shared that “late discovery” of certain evidence “impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings.” This evidence was ammunition that was brought to the sheriff’s office in March by a man who claimed it could be related to what happened on the set of Rust.
Baldwin’s lawyers alleged the prosecutors “buried” this information and filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was then approved in court. Sommer said “the state is highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant” before saying “dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”
What Does The Dismissal Mean For Alec Baldwin?
Now, a dismissal “with prejudice” means that the prosecutors cannot refile the case within that court. One of the prosecutors, Kari Morrissey, said that she respects the court deicsion, but also claimed there is “absolutely no evidence” that the ammunition in question was related to the incident with Halyna Hutchins. The dismissal means Baldwin has dodged what could have been 18 months of prison time after he was hit with an indictment that charged him with involuntary manslaughter from the grand jury of New Mexico in January.
Rust’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was, however, sentenced to prison for 18 months for involuntary manslaughter back in April 2024 after being found guilty in March. At the time of sentencing, Sommer said Gutierrez-Reed “alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon.”
Baldwin will not be sentenced to involuntary manslaughter, but he and the other producers of Rust are still dealing with civil lawsuits filed by some of Hutchins’ family members along with other crew members. On the other hand, Hutchins’ widower already settled his suit against Baldwin years ago.
As Alec Baldwin continues to deal with the legal matters of Rust, the actor and his family are getting ready to lead a TLC reality series, The Baldwins, about their family life, which is coming in 2025.