Washington [US], December 24 : The case against Alec Baldwin in the tragic shooting incident on the set of Rust has officially concluded. Nearly six months after a Santa Fe judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin, the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office announced that the case is now closed, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
On Monday, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the state’s appeal that had been filed in November. If pursued, the appeal would have contested the court’s decision to drop the charges against Baldwin in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Baldwin’s legal team, consisting of Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, issued a joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “Today’s decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning – this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime.” They further emphasized, “The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.”
The charges against Baldwin were dismissed with prejudice on July 12, following a court hearing. That day, Baldwin’s attorneys presented ammunition that they claimed had been withheld by law enforcement and prosecutors. During the hearing, a prosecutor resigned, and another prosecutor testified as a witness. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled that the case should be dismissed, citing that the late discovery of evidence had “impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” making dismissal the only appropriate course of action.
Subsequently, Judge Sommer also criticized the prosecution for misconduct, accusing them of “intentionally and deliberately withholding” key evidence. She called out prosecutor Kari Morrissey for failing to meet legal obligations and offering “inconsistent” testimony about the suppressed evidence, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.