The involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin was dismissed after the prosecution failed to disclose critical evidence to the defense. A judge in New Mexico ruled on Friday that evidence, specifically an envelope of ammunition, had been withheld, undermining the case.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer declared the dismissal with prejudice, ending the prosecution permanently. Baldwin, who could have faced up to 18 months in prison, wept as the judge announced, “There is no way for the court to right this wrong.”
The case stemmed from a tragic incident on the “Rust” film set in 2021, where Baldwin, rehearsing with a gun he was told was “cold” (containing no live ammunition), accidentally discharged a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
A dramatic moment in the trial occurred when lead prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey took the stand to explain why a batch of ammunition, turned in months earlier and believed unrelated, had not been shared with the defense. Initially, Morrissey had only seen a photo of the rounds and thought they didn’t match those from the “Rust” set. However, upon the judge’s request, the ammunition was examined in court, revealing that three rounds did resemble those found on set.
This revelation led to the case’s collapse, highlighting the critical impact of withheld evidence on the judicial process.
