Alec Baldwin broke down in tears on Friday after his involuntary manslaughter trial for the fatal 2022 shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was dismissed.
The ruling by New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer means that the state will not pursue recharging Baldwin again.
As Judge Sommer said, “The motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted,” the actor started crying before removing his glasses and hanging his head. The moment was captured live on CourtTV; you can watch it below at about the 5:35 mark.
Baldwin’s wife Hilaria, who was in the courtroom at the time of the ruling, also wept as she hugged the Emmy winner. His brother, Stephen, and sister Elizabeth Keuchler, were also present.
#BREAKING: Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer grants motion to dismiss with prejudice in the #AlecBaldwin Manslaughter Trial.#CourtTV – What do YOU think? pic.twitter.com/Fw4LkEkp9m
— Court TV (@CourtTV) July 12, 2024
“The state has repeatedly made representations to the defense and to the court that they were compliant with all their discovery obligations,” said Sommer. “Despite their repeated representations, they have continued to fail to disclose critical evidence to the defendant.”
“The state is highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant,” she added, before concluding: “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.”
While shocking, the ruling is also not that surprising considering the evidence of local police errors and blatant incompetence from those on set, including armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.
The lawyer for Hutchens’ widower Matthew, however, says that he will still pursue action against Baldwin.
“We respect the court’s decision,” attorney Brian J. Parish told Deadline. “We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins.”
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