Judge Denies Alec Baldwin’s Request To Dismiss Manslaughter Indictment In Rust Case

It’s been confirmed that American actor Alec Baldwin will still stand trial this summer over the infamous shooting that happened on Oct. 21, 2021, during the filming of his movie “Rust” at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Associated Press reported that on Friday, a New Mexico Judge, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer denied Baldwin his request to dismiss the one count of involuntary manslaughter he was charged with.

Prior to that, Baldwin’s attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas filed a motion in March to dismiss their client’s manslaughter indictment by accusing prosecutors of “unethical disparagement” and of “violating nearly every rule in the book” to secure a grand jury indictment. The motion to dismiss filing read, “The State did not make Baldwin’s witnesses available to testify. Nor did it present the exculpatory and favorable evidence to the grand jury.”

It continued, “The State prosecutors have engaged in this misconduct — and publicly dragged Baldwin through the cesspool created by their improprieties — without any regard for the fact that serious criminal charges have been hanging over his head for two and a half years. Enough is enough.”

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Following Baldwin’s March request, prosecutors Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis responded in April, arguing that while on set, Baldwin who was the movie’s executive producer wasn’t the best person to work with as he was always flaring up and lashing out at the crew. In their words, Baldwin had “absolutely no control of his own emotions.” They also shared that before the unfortunate incident took place, Baldwin was “frequently screaming and cursing.”

During a virtual hearing held before Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer on May 17, Spiro argued that the charges against Baldwin were already dropped until the prosecutors brought it up again. “This is a case involving an accident at the very outskirts of criminal law,” said Spiro while adding, “It should be dismissed for Mr. Baldwin, or any other person that comes before the grand jury and falls victim of an overzealous prosecutor.”

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The accidental discharge took place during the filming of Baldwin’s movie “Rust” at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. According to reports, a prop gun was given to Baldwin by the assistant director of the movie as a “cold gun” that is, an unloaded gun. When the gun was fired, Alec was holding the gun.

Baldwin keeps insisting that he didn’t fire the gun, that he had no idea how the gun was discharged and it hit two people, injured one, and killed the other. It is said that the gun first hit director Joel Souza before hitting the now-deceased director of photography Halyna Hutchins.

The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted in March for one count of involuntary manslaughter. According to court documents, “The combination of Hannah Gutierrez’s negligence and inexperience and Alec Baldwin’s complete lack of concern for the safety of those around him would prove deadly for Halyna Hutchins.”

After Judge Sommer’s Friday decision, Baldwin’s attorneys wrote in an email, “We look forward to our day in court.”

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