Alec Baldwin acquitted in "Rust" shooting trial after new evidence emerges
Alec Baldwin appeared in court to answer for involuntary manslaughter related to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, whom he shot on the set of the movie "Rust." The court made its decision, and afterward, Baldwin went to celebrate.
7:14 AM EDT, July 15, 2024
The tragic incident on the set happened three years ago. Alec Baldwin, not knowing that he was holding a prop gun loaded with real bullets instead of blanks, fired in the direction of the camera, behind which stood cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She was quickly taken to the hospital, but the doctors could not save her. Hutchins' death shocked the film industry, and there were widespread criticisms about the lapses on the set of "Rust." After years, charges were brought against Alec Baldwin and Hanna Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer responsible for gun safety on the set.
"I would never point a gun at anyone and then pull the trigger, never" Baldwin said in a now-famous interview with ABC. Nevertheless, at the beginning of 2024, Alec Baldwin was charged by prosecutors with involuntary manslaughter of Hutchins. The actor faced 18 months of imprisonment.
On July 10, Baldwin's trial began. Three days later, the court made its decision. The proceedings against the actor were dismissed. Charges against the actor were dismissed without the possibility of reopening the case due to deliberate and gross negligence by the prosecution. "There is no way for the court to right this wrong," Judge Sommer, quoted by the "New York Times," stated. After the verdict was announced, a visibly moved Alec Baldwin, 66, burst into tears in the courtroom.
The main argument for dismissing the case was that the prosecution had concealed information that they possessed bullets that were evidence. Baldwin's defense had no opportunity to examine them. The media revealed that the formal dismissal of the case came after a dramatic scene when a package of previously unexamined evidence was brought into the courtroom. Judge Sommer stepped down from the bench to examine the delivered evidence personally.
For several years, Alec Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter of Halyna Hutchins. It's no wonder that his emotions ran high in the courtroom, and he cried in front of the cameras. According to TZM.com, that same evening, he celebrated the end of the case with his wife, lawyers, and friends.
The actor was seen in a hotel bar in New Mexico. A person with a camera accompanied the group—rumors suggest that Baldwin is preparing a documentary about the tragedy on the set of "Rust." At the same time, American media indicated that the actor's family was filming their reality show for TLC, "The Baldwins."
