A judge dismissed Alec Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter on Friday, July 12, after ruling that crucial evidence related to a fatal shooting on the set of “Rust” had been withheld from the defense.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, overseeing the trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, stated that bullets potentially linked to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, which could have been beneficial to Baldwin’s defense, had not been shared with his lawyers by police and prosecutors.
Baldwin, visibly emotional, broke into tears as the case—potentially leading to an 18-month prison sentence if he were found guilty—was abruptly dismissed.
“The state’s deliberate withholding of this information was intentional. If this conduct does not reach the level of bad faith, it certainly shows significant prejudice,” Sommer said. “The court concludes that this conduct is highly prejudicial to the defendant.”
After the trial’s unexpected dismissal, Baldwin publicly thanked his supporters on Instagram, expressing deep gratitude for their kindness towards his family.
Baldwin was holding a gun during a rehearsal in October 2021 when it discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring the film’s director. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez, who had loaded the weapon, is already serving 18 months for involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin faced similar charges, with prosecutors alleging he disregarded basic gun safety and acted recklessly.
Baldwin’s defense, led by celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro, argued that Baldwin had no responsibility to check the weapon and was unaware it contained live rounds. The defense also focused on discrediting the police investigation.
Spiro introduced evidence that live bullets potentially connected to the shooting had been handed to police but not disclosed to Baldwin’s lawyers. These bullets were provided by a “Good Samaritan,” a former police officer and family friend of Gutierrez, who claimed they matched the rounds that killed Hutchins.
Spiro accused the police of “burying” evidence, which was not filed under the “Rust” case, thus depriving the defense of crucial information. Crime scene technician Marissa Poppell admitted under questioning that she cataloged the bullets but was instructed not to file them under the “Rust” case.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey contended she was unaware of these bullets until recently, but it was revealed she had been part of discussions about not submitting them into the case file. Morrissey, attempting to salvage the state’s case, testified that the “buried” bullets did not match the live rounds on the “Rust” set and were stored in Arizona until the day of the shooting.
Despite these claims, Sommer dismissed the case, leading to an emotional response from Baldwin and his family.