Alec Baldwin gets emotional after hearing his manslaughter charge was dismissed with prejudice in Santa Fe, N.M. on July 12, 2024 (Law&Crime).
Immediately once it began, the manslaughter trial of Alec Baldwin attracted countless viewers and seemingly endless media coverage – yet the unexpected twist which brought the case to a conclusion seemed to be the biggest shock of all.
After the shooting on the set of the film “Rust” in October 2021 which resulted in the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, many affected by these shocking wave of events began to push for justice. In January 2024, a grand jury finally indicted actor Alec Baldwin, who was working on rehearsal for a scene when he apparently discharged a revolver, striking Hutchins, who then passed away the same day. Later that March, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was the armorer for the film, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
By this past month, the trial for Baldwin went underway, with him being charged for involuntary manslaughter for his involvement in the matter – the trial was just a few days in when in an unexpected turn of events, on July 12, 2024, First Judicial District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice after Baldwin’s legal team alleged prosecutors withheld critical evidence. In response, the prosecution stated there was no evidence that the ammunition in question was related to the Rust shooting.
Specifically, Baldwin’s attorneys claimed that prosecutors on the case did not disclose certain live ammunition which local law enforcement had in their possession that might have been related to the shooting. Sommer stated in her decision that the late disclosure regarding the evidence was “highly prejudicial to the defendant” and that there was “no way for the court to right this wrong.” The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning Baldwin cannot be tried again for the same charge. After this stunning end to a yearslong saga, Baldwin broke down in tears in court, hugging his family, and later thanking his supporters on social media.
While Baldwin and his loved ones are no doubt thankful for this surprising turn of events, this abrupt end to his trial now leaves even newer questions unanswered and many debating what happens next.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s appeal
Others that have been affected by this tragic case have been quick to start on their next moves after the dismissal, specifically, Gutierrez-Reed. The week after Baldwin’s case was dismissed, Reed’s legal team promptly filed a motion to either dismiss her case or for a new trial, arguing that “egregious prosecutorial misconduct” and “discovery violations” committed by the state. The prosecutor overseeing the matter, Kari Morrissey, indicated she would respond to the motion and the district attorney in Santa Fe, New Mexico, confirmed her support for Morrissey and her work.
While it seemed obvious to many that Reed would use this latest development to challenge the outcome of her case, what is less clear is just how likely it is that her request will be granted. Some believe that it is likely Reed’s request will be granted as her attorneys claim the state withheld information about not only that ammunition but also interviews with key witnesses as well, such as the props ammunition supplier and the state’s firearm experts. Others indicate that Reed’s best-case scenario is if a higher court remands her case to a lower court for a retrial, based on evidence that had not been included in her prior case.
Whatever the outcome might be, even though Baldwin’s criminal trial is over, it is clear that the legal fights regarding the Rust shooting are far from over, given Reed’s new uphill battle and numerous pending numerous civil suits.
The legal team involved reacts
Upon the end of Baldwin’s case, many in the legal community — both those involved in this specific trial and those not — have shared what they think of the decision and its effects. Immediately after the dismissal, Morrissey made it clear she respected the court’s decision but maintained that she did not know the ammunition at issue was placed under a separate case number and that no proof exists to it was related to the “Rust” shooting. In terms of prosecutors at the Sante Fe district attorney’s office, they expressed frustration at the outcome, stating: “We are disappointed that the case did not get to the jury.”
While Reed is still currently serving her sentence in a correctional facility in New Mexico, the dismissal means Baldwin will never face another criminal trial for this charge again, taking away a chance for Hutchins’ loved ones to see the case play out in regard to the main actor on set who the prosecution alleges pulled the trigger. Meanwhile, before the dismissal even came down, special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson — who even delivered opening statements for the prosecution in Baldwin’s trial — resigned because she felt ethically obligated to turn over the evidence regarding the ammunition.
Impact on the entertainment industry
Almost immediately after the tragic killing of Hutchins in October 2021, media outlets began discussing what outcome this case would have on safety procedures and protocols in the entertainment industry, particularly when it comes to sets. Many experts in the areas of film production and gun safety procedures have expressed that sets have changed for the better since the “Rust” shooting, specifically causing actors to become more involved in the checking procedure regarding guns, the increased use of digital and CGI effects which rule out the need to use actual firearms, and using replica guns that are merely enhanced BB guns with no bullets.
Now that Baldwin’s trial has been dismissed and Reed is challenging her current conviction, many are hoping the positive changes that have been going underway in the entertainment industry regarding gun safety on sets will not be in vain. After the dismissal of Baldwin’s case, the Screen Actors Guild stated that actors on sets should not be held responsible for gun safety procedures, saying: “An actor’s job is not to be a firearms or weapons expert … Firearms are provided for their use under the guidance of multiple expert professionals directly responsible for the safe and accurate operation of that firearm.” In contrast, many still believe that safety improvements in the entertainment industry will continue, and Baldwin’s dismissal does not relieve all people on a set doing their part to ensure a safe and secure work environment.
This unexpected dismissal has sparked many uncertainties, yet with many of the civil suits against Baldwin still ongoing and Reed’s new motion challenging her current conviction, one thing is clear: While Baldwin’s criminal case is over, many will still be watching to see if the tragic events on the set of “Rust” will ultimately lead to safer conditions for those in the entertainment industry.
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