Alec Baldwin sues for malicious prosecution after judge dismissed case of fatal ‘Rust’ set shooting
Associated PressJan 08
Alec Baldwin Sues Prosecutors and Officials in 'Rust' Trial
story
Above: Alec Baldwin attends his trial for involuntary manslaughter at Santa Fe County District Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on July 12, 2024. Image copyright: Ramsay De Give/Contributor/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
American actor Alec Baldwin on Thursday filed a civil suit against Santa Fe prosecutors and officials, alleging he was the subject of civil rights violations — a malicious abuse of process and defamation during the attempt to prosecute him for the 2021 fatal shooting Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of "Rust."
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter over the death of the cinematographer. However, the case was dismissed with prejudice in July last year after Judge Mary Marlowe found that potentially exculpatory evidence that undermined the prosecution's position was withheld from the defense.
That evidence pertained to a box of live ammunition that was delivered to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and suggested a different source than armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed as being responsible for bringing the ammunition on set. A crime scene technician testified it was not cataloged with Baldwin's case.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Santa Fe prosecutors and officials in this case sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the accidental shooting of Hutchings, shielding exculpatory evidence and ignoring the actions of others who were culpable. This is a massive breach of their duties and it's in the interests of justice that they are held responsible.
Narrative B
The box of live ammunition brought to the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office had no connection to Baldwin's case and the judge was wrong to dismiss the charges. The Santa Fe District Attorney maintains full support for the prosecutor and the Sheriff's Office for how they handled the case.
