On Friday, July 12, a US judge rejected the case against Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin, who accidentally shot a cinematographer on set three years ago while handling a prop gun during a rehearsal for the movie “Rust” in New Mexico in 2021.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter and was re-indicted starting on July 9, 2024.
During the third day of the trial, a breakthrough occurred when the judge ruled that the police and prosecutors had hidden evidence of live ammunition improperly, leading to the dismissal of the case. The prosecution was barred from bringing the case forward again.
Upon hearing the judge’s ruling, Baldwin was seen in tears in the courtroom.
One key aspect of the case was how live ammunition ended up in the prop gun on set, especially when there are professionals responsible for managing firearms on set.
New evidence emerged on Thursday, July 11, when a crime scene technician testified that a retired police officer named Troy Teske handed over live ammunition that might be related to the case.
Teske was a friend of the stepfather of the movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who had been convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier in 2024.
Armorers are in charge of all firearms, weapons, and bladed weapons during film production. Their duties include selecting firearms and ammunition, ensuring safety for everyone, maintaining and handling firearms, consulting on firearms, and guaranteeing the legality and safety of all firearms.
In the United States, all film sets, regardless of size (including student sets), are required to have an armorer present for supervision. Armorers typically hold an armorer’s license.
Gutierrez-Reed worked alongside prop master Seth Kenney, who assisted in preparing props and ammunition on the movie set.
Following this, Baldwin’s lawyer raised questions about errors made by government agencies handling the investigation and scene, arguing that the prosecution did not share the latest evidence with the defense.
The jury heard testimony from a series of witnesses on Friday regarding the bullets, including authorities handling the case and Kenney himself.
One of the prosecutors in charge of the case, Kari Morrissey, testified in court explaining the bullets and why they were not shared with the defense, citing their rarity in such situations.
She testified that the ammunition had “no evidentiary value” and denied any concealment.
Defense lawyers argued that the bullets might be relevant to the case but were categorized under a different case and file number by government agencies.
The judge ruled that in any situation, this evidence of ammunition should have been shared with the defendant’s defense team.
“The state’s withholding of this information was intentional,” the judge said, “the court cannot correct this error.”
The judge dismissed the case on the grounds of bias, and the prosecution will not be able to bring charges against Baldwin again.
Upon hearing the judge’s decision, Baldwin was visibly emotional, shedding tears in court and embracing his lawyer and wife. He later left in a car without making any comments.
Baldwin is known for his roles in the NBC sitcom “30 Rock” and the sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live.”