'Appreciate kindness': Alec Baldwin's first statement post 'Rust' case dismissal
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has publicly expressed his gratitude following the dismissal of his manslaughter trial related to the fatal shooting on the set of Rust. In a brief Instagram post, Baldwin thanked his supporters, stating, "There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now. To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family." Notable figures including Anthony Hopkins showed their support in the comments section.
Case dismissed due to Brady violation
The manslaughter case was dismissed with prejudice by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer in a New Mexico courtroom. The dismissal resulted from a Brady violation committed by police and prosecutors who withheld evidence from the defense. This led to the case's permanent dismissal, preventing it from being refiled in the future. Per Shouse Law Group, "Brady violation occurs when a prosecutor fails to provide a defendant or criminal defense attorneys with any favorable or helpful evidence to a defendant's case."
Baldwin's legal journey: Charges, pleas, and dismissals
The incident that led to the trial occurred on October 21, 2021, when a prop gun Baldwin was holding discharged a live round on the Rust set. This resulted in cinematographer Halyna Hutchins's death and injury to director Joel Souza. Initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, these charges were later dropped for further investigation. Baldwin was recharged in January, earlier this year, and pleaded not guilty, consistently maintaining that he "didn't pull the trigger."
Baldwin and Hutchins's family legal actions
In February 2022, Hutchins's family filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and several Rust crew members, only to reach a settlement in October of that year. Hutchins's parents and sister also filed their own negligence lawsuit against Baldwin in February 2023. Concurrently, Baldwin sued Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and other crew members for negligence in November 2022. Gutierrez-Reed was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter related to the incident and sentenced to 18 months in prison in April.
