A New Mexico judge announced Friday that a ruling will be issued next week regarding the dismissal of an indictment against actor Alec Baldwin in connection with the fatal shooting on the set of his film “Rust.” The January indictment charged Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021. Baldwin, a lead actor and co-producer on the film, has pleaded not guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 1.5 years in prison.
During a virtual hearing on Friday, Baldwin’s attorneys argued that the grand jury received a biased presentation from prosecutors, leading them away from exculpatory evidence and witnesses. Baldwin was not present during the hearing. The defense team also claimed that prosecutors failed to present exculpatory evidence.
If the judge dismisses the charges, this will be the second time felony charges against Baldwin have been dropped. Prosecutors previously dismissed an earlier involuntary manslaughter charge after learning that the gun Baldwin was holding may have been modified and malfunctioned. A new analysis of the gun enabled prosecutors to revive the case.
Victim of ‘Overzealous Prosecutor’
In March 2024, Baldwin’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, claiming he was a victim of an “overzealous prosecutor” seeking an indictment in a high-profile case. Special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey denied any allegations of bad faith during the virtual hearing, stating that the grand jurors were informed of their right to question witnesses. However, key figures suggested by Baldwin’s lawyers were not called to testify.
The shooting occurred during a rehearsal when Baldwin pointed a gun at Hutchins, resulting in her death and injuries to Joel Souza. Last year’s decision to drop charges against Baldwin was influenced by evidence suggesting the gun had been modified, but subsequent tests revealed it was functional, breaking during FBI testing in 2022.
The hearing also addressed Morrissey’s decisions during the grand jury proceedings, including interrupting a sheriff’s deputy discussing gun safety measures. Baldwin’s trial is set to begin on July 9 and is expected to last eight days.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The cat jumped onto the table and knocked over the vase.”
“The vase was knocked over when the cat jumped onto the table.”
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