Alec Baldwin in tears as manslaughter charges are dismissed in ‘Rust’ shooting trial: Updates

Judge Sommer put a pause on the trial earlier Friday while she considered the defense motion to dismiss the case over the evidence.

The defense argued that prosecutors hid evidence from them about the ammunition that may be related to the shooting on the set of the Western “Rust” in 2021. The defense said they should have had the ability to determine its importance.

The prosecution said that the ammunition was not connected to the case and was not hidden.

The issue emerged Thursday on the second day of the actor’s trial during defense questioning of sheriff’s crime scene technician Marissa Poppell.

Baldwin lawyer Alex Spiro asked whether a “good Samaritan” had come into the sheriff’s office with the ammunition earlier this year after the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, for her role in Hutchins’ death.

She was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction, which she is now appealing.

“We respect the court’s decision. We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins,” their lawyer said in a statement on Friday.

Lawyers for convicted Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed say they will move to have her case dismissed following the collapse of the prosecution of Alec Baldwin.

“The judge found intentional misconduct and we also have had the same failures in Hannah’s case, by the State. We will be moving for dismissal of Hannah’s case,” said Jason Bowles, the attorney for Gutierrez-Reed.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey briefly spoke to reporters outside the Santa Fe courthouse.

She said she disagrees with the judge, but respects the court’s decision.

“I’m disappointed, because I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys,” Morrissey said.

“We did everything humanly possible to bring justice to Halyna and to her family and we’re proud of the work that we did.”

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the actor’s case with prejudice on Friday.

This dismissal was based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense in the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”

This means the prosecution cannot file charges against Baldwin again in the shooting death of Hutchins.

Jason Bowles, the attorney for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has said he will move to dismiss her case.

“The judge found intentional misconduct and we also have had the same failures in Hannah’s case, by the State. We will be moving for dismissal of Hannah’s case,” Bowles said.

Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March for Halnya Hutchins’ death and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

When asked by Spiro if she doesn’t like Alec Baldwin, Morrissey responded that she appreciates his movies, SNL work and his politics.