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Alec Baldwin film set shooting case ends after prosecutors drop appeal [Update@ Post#96]
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The family of Halyna Hutchins, the Rust cinematographer who died on set, say they will sue Alec Baldwin despite his criminal charges being dropped.
Manslaughter charges against Mr Baldwin, who was holding the prop gun that fired the fatal bullet, were withdrawn in New Mexico on Thursday.
A lawyer for Ms Hutchins' parents and sister said that the actor "cannot escape responsibility" for her death.
Mr Baldwin had already reached a deal with her widower and 10-year-old son.
In October 2021, Mr Baldwin had been practising firing the gun on set at a ranch near Santa Fe when it went off, fatally striking 42-year-old Ukrainian-born Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The actor denied pulling the trigger, although an FBI report later concluded that the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled.
He had been due in court for a preliminary hearing on 3 May. But on Thursday, prosecutors said they would withdraw charges against the Emmy-award winner after new facts were revealed that required further investigation.
The film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, continues to face two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
BBC
Manslaughter charges against Mr Baldwin, who was holding the prop gun that fired the fatal bullet, were withdrawn in New Mexico on Thursday.
A lawyer for Ms Hutchins' parents and sister said that the actor "cannot escape responsibility" for her death.
Mr Baldwin had already reached a deal with her widower and 10-year-old son.
In October 2021, Mr Baldwin had been practising firing the gun on set at a ranch near Santa Fe when it went off, fatally striking 42-year-old Ukrainian-born Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The actor denied pulling the trigger, although an FBI report later concluded that the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled.
He had been due in court for a preliminary hearing on 3 May. But on Thursday, prosecutors said they would withdraw charges against the Emmy-award winner after new facts were revealed that required further investigation.
The film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, continues to face two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
BBC
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The release, marketing and promotion of this movie is going to be very interesting. Baldwin won't be wheeled out to the press much I imagine, or at least not without a very strict brief for the interviewer.
Not sure if it will flop or actually be quite successful because of this incident. Suppose all publicity is good publicity.
Not sure if it will flop or actually be quite successful because of this incident. Suppose all publicity is good publicity.
WicketLord
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A new report into the fatal shooting on the set of the movie Rust appears to cast doubt over star and producer Alec Baldwin's accounts of events.
Mr Baldwin denies pulling the trigger of the prop gun which went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Weapons experts have now said the trigger would have "had to be pulled".
The actor's representatives told the PA news agency they had no comment to make on the latest development in the ongoing case.
Charges of involuntary manslaughter against Mr Baldwin were dropped in April, but prosecutors said it did not "absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability".
They said charges against the star could be refiled over the October 2021 shooting, which occurred on the set of the western movie.
A new report, written by weapons experts Lucien Haag and Mike Haag, was given prosecutors in New Mexico on Tuesday.
According to the documents, prosecutors previously stated that they had information that there had been an alleged modification of the gun used by Baldwin on the Rust set.
Lawyers for Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, said the Haags' report "does not indicate any modification to the gun" and "specifies that the trigger had to be pulled".
"Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," said an excerpt of the weapons report included in the court documents.
"If the hammer had not been fully retracted to the rear, and were to slip from the handler's thumb without the trigger depressed, the half cock or quarter cock notches in the hammer should have prevented the firing pin from reaching any cartridge in the firing chamber."
It continued: "If these features were somehow bypassed, a conspicuously off-centre firing pin impression would result
Last week, Ms Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges, related to the shooting.
Her plea came ahead of a jury trial scheduled for 6 December looking into the death of Ms Hutchins at the age of 42.
It is not yet clear whether or not the findings of the new report will result in charges against Mr Baldwin being refiled.
BBC
Mr Baldwin denies pulling the trigger of the prop gun which went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Weapons experts have now said the trigger would have "had to be pulled".
The actor's representatives told the PA news agency they had no comment to make on the latest development in the ongoing case.
Charges of involuntary manslaughter against Mr Baldwin were dropped in April, but prosecutors said it did not "absolve Mr Baldwin of criminal culpability".
They said charges against the star could be refiled over the October 2021 shooting, which occurred on the set of the western movie.
A new report, written by weapons experts Lucien Haag and Mike Haag, was given prosecutors in New Mexico on Tuesday.
According to the documents, prosecutors previously stated that they had information that there had been an alleged modification of the gun used by Baldwin on the Rust set.
Lawyers for Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, said the Haags' report "does not indicate any modification to the gun" and "specifies that the trigger had to be pulled".
"Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," said an excerpt of the weapons report included in the court documents.
"If the hammer had not been fully retracted to the rear, and were to slip from the handler's thumb without the trigger depressed, the half cock or quarter cock notches in the hammer should have prevented the firing pin from reaching any cartridge in the firing chamber."
It continued: "If these features were somehow bypassed, a conspicuously off-centre firing pin impression would result
Last week, Ms Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges, related to the shooting.
Her plea came ahead of a jury trial scheduled for 6 December looking into the death of Ms Hutchins at the age of 42.
It is not yet clear whether or not the findings of the new report will result in charges against Mr Baldwin being refiled.
BBC
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Alec Baldwin again charged with involuntary manslaughter
A grand jury in New Mexico has charged Alec Baldwin with a count of involuntary manslaughter over a fatal movie set shooting in October 2021.
Previous charges against the Emmy award-winning actor were dropped last April, just two weeks before a criminal trial was due to begin.
Local prosecutors said in October that "additional facts" merited bringing the case again before a grand jury.
The unreleased movie's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died in the incident.
BBC
A grand jury in New Mexico has charged Alec Baldwin with a count of involuntary manslaughter over a fatal movie set shooting in October 2021.
Previous charges against the Emmy award-winning actor were dropped last April, just two weeks before a criminal trial was due to begin.
Local prosecutors said in October that "additional facts" merited bringing the case again before a grand jury.
The unreleased movie's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died in the incident.
BBC
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Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to new involuntary manslaughter charge over Halyna Hutchins's Rust shooting
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Ms Hutchins was shot dead on the set of Rust, a forthcoming Western filmed near Santa Fe in New Mexico in October 2021.
Mr Baldwin, 65, had been practicing firing a pistol for a scene.
Similar charges were dropped in April, just two weeks before he was due to go on trial, but New Mexico prosecutors say there is new forensic evidence.
The actor entered the not guilty plea in a court filing on Wednesday, a day before a scheduled virtual court appearance in a Santa Fe court, which will now not take place.
He was charged on 19 January in New Mexico after local prosecutors said "additional facts" had emerged from forensic tests on the weapon used in the shooting, in which director Joel Souza was also wounded.
Mr Baldwin has maintained he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 pistol and only drew back its hammer.
He has also argued he is not at fault for Ms Hutchins' death because he did not know the weapon contained live rounds and because no live ammunition was supposed to be on set.
But special prosecutors in New Mexico said in October that they had commissioned forensic experts to reconstruct the weapon, after it had been broken during FBI testing.
They said doing so had revealed that the incident could only have taken place if the trigger had been pulled.
"Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," their report concluded.
The actor - who has expressed "shock and sadness" at Ms Hutchins' death - said in recent court filings that he had struggled to find acting work since the incident.
When prosecutors dropped involuntary manslaughter charges in April they warned that they could be refiled as investigations continued.
SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68162923
Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Ms Hutchins was shot dead on the set of Rust, a forthcoming Western filmed near Santa Fe in New Mexico in October 2021.
Mr Baldwin, 65, had been practicing firing a pistol for a scene.
Similar charges were dropped in April, just two weeks before he was due to go on trial, but New Mexico prosecutors say there is new forensic evidence.
The actor entered the not guilty plea in a court filing on Wednesday, a day before a scheduled virtual court appearance in a Santa Fe court, which will now not take place.
He was charged on 19 January in New Mexico after local prosecutors said "additional facts" had emerged from forensic tests on the weapon used in the shooting, in which director Joel Souza was also wounded.
Mr Baldwin has maintained he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 pistol and only drew back its hammer.
He has also argued he is not at fault for Ms Hutchins' death because he did not know the weapon contained live rounds and because no live ammunition was supposed to be on set.
But special prosecutors in New Mexico said in October that they had commissioned forensic experts to reconstruct the weapon, after it had been broken during FBI testing.
They said doing so had revealed that the incident could only have taken place if the trigger had been pulled.
"Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," their report concluded.
The actor - who has expressed "shock and sadness" at Ms Hutchins' death - said in recent court filings that he had struggled to find acting work since the incident.
When prosecutors dropped involuntary manslaughter charges in April they warned that they could be refiled as investigations continued.
SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68162923
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed: Rust armourer guilty of Halyna Hutchins' death
A movie set weapons handler who loaded a gun for actor Alec Baldwin before it fired and killed a cinematographer has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found not guilty of a second charge - tampering with evidence over the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
She could now face up to 18 months in prison.
Mr Baldwin also faces a manslaughter trial over the fatality.
Ms Hutchins, 42, was killed after a gun Mr Baldwin used in a rehearsal fired a live round on the set of the Western in New Mexico.
Jurors deliberated for three hours before returning Wednesday's verdict.
Gutierrez-Reed remained expressionless as she learned her fate.
As she was led away by two officers she told her weeping mother, "It'll be OK," according to Reuters.
Ms Hutchins' parents and her sister said they were "satisfied" with the verdict.
Their statement added: "We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna's death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions."
The conviction of Gutierrez-Reed is likely to be seen as good news for Mr Baldwin.
His attorneys can now argue that it was not foreseeable for their client that there was a live round on set because that was the responsibility of the armourer.
Prosecutors said Gutierrez-Reed had failed to ensure the weapon was only loaded with dummy rounds - fake bullets used to look and sound like real ones.
"This case is about constant, never-ending safety failures that resulted in the death of a human being," prosecutor Kari T Morrissey said during closing arguments on Wednesday.
Gutierrez-Reed was "negligent", "careless" and "thoughtless" when she failed to notice that live bullets had mixed with dummy rounds in a box of ammunition on set, Ms Morrissey told the jurors.
One of those bullets was in the firearm that was used by Mr Baldwin, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that Gutierrez-Reed had brought a box of live bullets to the New Mexico film set from her California home. They said these live rounds slowly spread throughout the set over the course of 12 days.
Ms Morrissey said she believed the armourer did not intend to bring live rounds to the set, but rather that Ms Hutchins' death was a case of tragic negligence.
The prosecutor added that Gutierrez-Reed was more "worried about her career" and less about the victims in the aftermath of the shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed did not testify in the two-week trial, but her lawyer said in closing arguments that prosecutors had failed to prove his client was the sole person responsible for the fatal shooting.
"The [ammunition] boxes don't matter, because we don't know what was in them three or four days before," her lawyer, Jason Bowles told the jury, arguing his client did not know that there were real bullets on set.
Mr Bowles also blamed Mr Baldwin, arguing that he had "gone off-script" when he pointed the gun at film crew.
"It was not in the script for Mr Baldwin to point the weapon," he said. "She didn't know that Mr Baldwin was going to do what he did."
He vowed to file an appeal.
Trial witnesses included the film's director, Joel Souza, who was also shot in the incident but survived.
Mr Souza said he remembered looking up at Gutierrez-Reed after he was shot, and hearing her repeatedly say: "I'm sorry, Joel."
The jury was also shown emotional and distressing footage of the aftermath of the shooting, when the Colt .45 revolver held by Mr Baldwin went off.
It included a video that appeared to show Ms Hutchins' final moments, with paramedics frantically trying to save her life.
Gutierrez-Reed was also found not guilty of evidence tampering stemming from accusations that she attempted to dispose of a small bag of narcotics after the shooting.
Last year, the movie's cast and crew finished filming in tribute to Ms Hutchins, with her husband serving as an executive producer.
BBC
A movie set weapons handler who loaded a gun for actor Alec Baldwin before it fired and killed a cinematographer has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found not guilty of a second charge - tampering with evidence over the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
She could now face up to 18 months in prison.
Mr Baldwin also faces a manslaughter trial over the fatality.
Ms Hutchins, 42, was killed after a gun Mr Baldwin used in a rehearsal fired a live round on the set of the Western in New Mexico.
Jurors deliberated for three hours before returning Wednesday's verdict.
Gutierrez-Reed remained expressionless as she learned her fate.
As she was led away by two officers she told her weeping mother, "It'll be OK," according to Reuters.
Ms Hutchins' parents and her sister said they were "satisfied" with the verdict.
Their statement added: "We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna's death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions."
The conviction of Gutierrez-Reed is likely to be seen as good news for Mr Baldwin.
His attorneys can now argue that it was not foreseeable for their client that there was a live round on set because that was the responsibility of the armourer.
Prosecutors said Gutierrez-Reed had failed to ensure the weapon was only loaded with dummy rounds - fake bullets used to look and sound like real ones.
"This case is about constant, never-ending safety failures that resulted in the death of a human being," prosecutor Kari T Morrissey said during closing arguments on Wednesday.
Gutierrez-Reed was "negligent", "careless" and "thoughtless" when she failed to notice that live bullets had mixed with dummy rounds in a box of ammunition on set, Ms Morrissey told the jurors.
One of those bullets was in the firearm that was used by Mr Baldwin, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that Gutierrez-Reed had brought a box of live bullets to the New Mexico film set from her California home. They said these live rounds slowly spread throughout the set over the course of 12 days.
Ms Morrissey said she believed the armourer did not intend to bring live rounds to the set, but rather that Ms Hutchins' death was a case of tragic negligence.
The prosecutor added that Gutierrez-Reed was more "worried about her career" and less about the victims in the aftermath of the shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed did not testify in the two-week trial, but her lawyer said in closing arguments that prosecutors had failed to prove his client was the sole person responsible for the fatal shooting.
"The [ammunition] boxes don't matter, because we don't know what was in them three or four days before," her lawyer, Jason Bowles told the jury, arguing his client did not know that there were real bullets on set.
Mr Bowles also blamed Mr Baldwin, arguing that he had "gone off-script" when he pointed the gun at film crew.
"It was not in the script for Mr Baldwin to point the weapon," he said. "She didn't know that Mr Baldwin was going to do what he did."
He vowed to file an appeal.
Trial witnesses included the film's director, Joel Souza, who was also shot in the incident but survived.
Mr Souza said he remembered looking up at Gutierrez-Reed after he was shot, and hearing her repeatedly say: "I'm sorry, Joel."
The jury was also shown emotional and distressing footage of the aftermath of the shooting, when the Colt .45 revolver held by Mr Baldwin went off.
It included a video that appeared to show Ms Hutchins' final moments, with paramedics frantically trying to save her life.
Gutierrez-Reed was also found not guilty of evidence tampering stemming from accusations that she attempted to dispose of a small bag of narcotics after the shooting.
Last year, the movie's cast and crew finished filming in tribute to Ms Hutchins, with her husband serving as an executive producer.
BBC
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Rust weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez jailed over fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin film set
The weapons supervisor for the film Rust has been jailed for 18 months following the fatal shooting of the film's cinematographer on set.Hannah Gutierrez, 26, was sentenced today after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by jurors in Santa Fe, New Mexico, following a trial.
She was in charge of weapons during the production of the western film in October 2021, when a Colt 45 revolver fired by actor and co-producer Alec Baldwin went off during a rehearsal.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died following the incident, while director Joel Souza was injured.
She was in charge of weapons during the production of the western film in October 2021, when a Colt 45 revolver fired by actor and co-producer Alec Baldwin went off during a rehearsal.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died following the incident, while director Joel Souza was injured.
Rust weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez jailed over fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin film set
Hannah Gutierrez was the armourer in charge of weapons during production of Rust in 2021, when a revolver fired by Alec Baldwin went off during a rehearsal, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
news.sky.com
Savak
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They need to nail Baldwin, the guy was arrogant and behaved like a negligent cowboy on set. You cannot kill someone and get away with it, let's not forget he was the producer as well therefore he shares the biggest burden.
rpant_gabba
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I know logic is not your strongpoint.
Can you lay out evidence for your claims. Were u at the set, how do you know he behaved like a cowboy?
Do you know what an armorer's job is?
have you handled a firearm before?
canyou tel teh differnce between one with dummy bulets and real bullets?
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This is not something you would wanna do in public and on camera ALEC.
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Judge denies Alec Baldwin’s motion to dismiss involuntary manslaughter charges in ‘Rust’ shooting
A New Mexico judge denied a motion Friday from Alec Baldwin’s attorneys asking the court to dismiss the actor’s involuntary manslaughter indictment in a shooting on the set of the film “Rust,” in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died.
A separate motion to dismiss from Baldwin’s team will be considered at a hearing on June 24. The case is slated to go to trial in July in Santa Fe.
In the first motion to dismiss, an attorney for Baldwin, John Bash, argued the shooting death of Hutchins on set in October 2021 was an accident and Baldwin is “not criminally liable.”
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey countered Baldwin is experienced in the movie business.
“Mr. Baldwin knew he had a real gun in his hand. Mr. Baldwin specifically asked for the biggest gun that was available. Mr. Baldwin knew and understood that dummy rounds look identical to live ammunition,” Morrissey said. Furthermore, she argued, Baldwin was aware armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed “wasn’t following the rules” when she was doing gun safety checks on the set of “Rust.”
Gutierrez Reed was convicted in March of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She is appealing the conviction.
In the second motion to dismiss the case, Baldwin’s team argued the gun used in the shooting was destroyed during forensic testing by the FBI, making it impossible for the defense to attempt to recreate the testing. The judge is set to rule on the motion following a hearing scheduled for next Monday.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer also denied a motion from the prosecution to provide “use immunity” for Guiterrez Reed. Use immunity protects a witness from the use of their own testimony against them.
Trial set for July
Special prosecutors have signaled they intend to portray Baldwin as repeatedly flouting safety protocols on the movie set in the days before the fatal shooting, according to a new court filing.
In a notice to Baldwin’s attorneys on evidence they intend to present in court next month, prosecutors outlined repeated instances in which Baldwin allegedly acted dangerously between October 12 and October 21, 2021, and a key focus will be the defendant’s “reckless behavior.”
Prosecutors in the filing argue the evidence “is relevant because it is part of the crime of involuntary manslaughter as it shows defendant’s recklessness or criminal negligence on October 21, 2021, when he shot and killed Halyna Hutchins.”
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection to Hutchins’ death.
Luke Nikas, an attorney for Baldwin, had no comment Wednesday about the prosecution document, but referred CNN to the defense’s most recent filing asking the court again to dismiss the indictment and accusing the prosecution of selected disclosure of evidence.
In a statement to CNN last month following a judge’s refusal to dismiss the charge, Baldwin’s legal team said, “We look forward to our day in court.”
Prosecutors cited video evidence from the set obtained during the state’s criminal investigation, laying out examples of Baldwin’s alleged mishandling of the replica revolver he used during the movie’s production, according to the court document filed Monday and obtained by CNN.
Baldwin, prosecutors alleged, “used his gun as a pointer directing crew members,” “discharged the revolver after the filming was over and ‘cut’ was called,” “engaged in horseplay with the revolver while making videos,” pointed the gun and fired a blank round at a crew member “while using that crew member as a line of site as his perceived target” and “shot several scenes wherein he placed his finger on the trigger of the revolver where the scene did not require any shooting of the firearm.”
Baldwin previously told CNN he did not pull the trigger on the weapon during the deadly incident.
“I never took a gun and pointed at somebody and clicked the thing,” Baldwin said at the time.
The special prosecution team also alleged Baldwin was “inattentive during the firearms training” conducted by on-set armorer Gutierrez Reed, claiming the actor was texting and video conferencing with family members rather than focusing on the safety briefing.
In addition to holding the gun when it fired the fatal round, Santa Fe County’s district attorney previously told CNN Baldwin’s role as a producer for the film also opens him up to potential liability for the alleged culture of unsafe practices on the “Rust” set.
In the filing, special prosecutors repeatedly insisted Baldwin exercised complete control over the set and crew during instances where alleged unsafe practices were identified on video.
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza injured when a gun held by Baldwin fired a live round during a scene rehearsal on the set of the western.
CNN
A New Mexico judge denied a motion Friday from Alec Baldwin’s attorneys asking the court to dismiss the actor’s involuntary manslaughter indictment in a shooting on the set of the film “Rust,” in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died.
A separate motion to dismiss from Baldwin’s team will be considered at a hearing on June 24. The case is slated to go to trial in July in Santa Fe.
In the first motion to dismiss, an attorney for Baldwin, John Bash, argued the shooting death of Hutchins on set in October 2021 was an accident and Baldwin is “not criminally liable.”
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey countered Baldwin is experienced in the movie business.
“Mr. Baldwin knew he had a real gun in his hand. Mr. Baldwin specifically asked for the biggest gun that was available. Mr. Baldwin knew and understood that dummy rounds look identical to live ammunition,” Morrissey said. Furthermore, she argued, Baldwin was aware armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed “wasn’t following the rules” when she was doing gun safety checks on the set of “Rust.”
Gutierrez Reed was convicted in March of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She is appealing the conviction.
In the second motion to dismiss the case, Baldwin’s team argued the gun used in the shooting was destroyed during forensic testing by the FBI, making it impossible for the defense to attempt to recreate the testing. The judge is set to rule on the motion following a hearing scheduled for next Monday.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer also denied a motion from the prosecution to provide “use immunity” for Guiterrez Reed. Use immunity protects a witness from the use of their own testimony against them.
Trial set for July
Special prosecutors have signaled they intend to portray Baldwin as repeatedly flouting safety protocols on the movie set in the days before the fatal shooting, according to a new court filing.
In a notice to Baldwin’s attorneys on evidence they intend to present in court next month, prosecutors outlined repeated instances in which Baldwin allegedly acted dangerously between October 12 and October 21, 2021, and a key focus will be the defendant’s “reckless behavior.”
Prosecutors in the filing argue the evidence “is relevant because it is part of the crime of involuntary manslaughter as it shows defendant’s recklessness or criminal negligence on October 21, 2021, when he shot and killed Halyna Hutchins.”
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection to Hutchins’ death.
Luke Nikas, an attorney for Baldwin, had no comment Wednesday about the prosecution document, but referred CNN to the defense’s most recent filing asking the court again to dismiss the indictment and accusing the prosecution of selected disclosure of evidence.
In a statement to CNN last month following a judge’s refusal to dismiss the charge, Baldwin’s legal team said, “We look forward to our day in court.”
Prosecutors cited video evidence from the set obtained during the state’s criminal investigation, laying out examples of Baldwin’s alleged mishandling of the replica revolver he used during the movie’s production, according to the court document filed Monday and obtained by CNN.
Baldwin, prosecutors alleged, “used his gun as a pointer directing crew members,” “discharged the revolver after the filming was over and ‘cut’ was called,” “engaged in horseplay with the revolver while making videos,” pointed the gun and fired a blank round at a crew member “while using that crew member as a line of site as his perceived target” and “shot several scenes wherein he placed his finger on the trigger of the revolver where the scene did not require any shooting of the firearm.”
Baldwin previously told CNN he did not pull the trigger on the weapon during the deadly incident.
“I never took a gun and pointed at somebody and clicked the thing,” Baldwin said at the time.
The special prosecution team also alleged Baldwin was “inattentive during the firearms training” conducted by on-set armorer Gutierrez Reed, claiming the actor was texting and video conferencing with family members rather than focusing on the safety briefing.
In addition to holding the gun when it fired the fatal round, Santa Fe County’s district attorney previously told CNN Baldwin’s role as a producer for the film also opens him up to potential liability for the alleged culture of unsafe practices on the “Rust” set.
In the filing, special prosecutors repeatedly insisted Baldwin exercised complete control over the set and crew during instances where alleged unsafe practices were identified on video.
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza injured when a gun held by Baldwin fired a live round during a scene rehearsal on the set of the western.
CNN
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Alec Baldwin's Rust film set shooting trial begins today - here are the key things you need to know
The high-profile trial of Hollywood star Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film Rust is due to get under way in the US today.
It has been almost three years since Halyna Hutchins died after a gun held by the actor went off during a rehearsal in a church on set in New Mexico in October 2021.
Baldwin, 66, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
He has pleaded not guilty and said he was unaware the gun contained a live round. He has always maintained he pulled back the gun's hammer - but not the trigger - and the weapon fired accidentally.
The actor appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing yesterday, and the trial is going ahead despite motions for the case to be dismissed by his legal team. It is taking place at the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico in Santa Fe - about 20 miles northeast of the film set and the shooting.
Here is everything you need to know.
What happens today?
The trial starts with jury selection to choose the 12 citizens from Santa Fe County who will hear the evidence. This process is expected to take up all of today's time in court, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence set to begin tomorrow.
However, if jury selection is completed quickly, there is a chance the statements could be pulled forward to this afternoon, New Mexico time. The hearing is set to begin each day at 8.30am, which is 3.30pm in the UK.
What jurors have to decide
Prosecutors have two alternative standards for proving the charge; one is based on the negligent use of a firearm, the other is proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Baldwin acted with total disregard or indifference for the safety of others.
Jurors will have to reach just one verdict - guilty or not guilty - on a single count.
The others charged over the shooting
The film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez, and assistant director and safety co-ordinator Dave Halls, were also charged following Ms Hutchins' death.
Gutierrez, who was responsible for weapons on set, is in the process of appealing after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter following a separate trial earlier this year.
She was 24 at the time of the incident and Rust was her second assignment as an armourer for a feature film.
Following her conviction, Gutierrez said she had tried to do her best on the set despite not having "proper time, resources and staffing".
Halls, whose credits include The Matrix Reloaded, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon in 2023. He received a suspended sentence of six months of probation.
Witnesses
There were 12 people inside the church set on the day of the shooting. Some will testify during the trial, and the witness lists also include numerous police and FBI investigators and firearms experts who examined the gun involved.
Gutierrez is listed as a potential witness on the prosecution's list, although her lawyers have said she does not wish to incriminate herself as she appeals her conviction and will not answer questions on the stand.
Rust's director and writer Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, is also listed by the prosecution, alongside Ross Addiego, a front-line crew member who built and operated systems for guiding the film's camera, Zac Sneesby, a sound engineer and boom operator who has worked on other projects including Stranger Things, camera operator Reid Russell, and script supervisor Mamie Mitchell.
Halls is listed as a potential witness for the defence, alongside other crew members including Lucas Hussack and Karen Kuehn, a stills photographer.
Will Baldwin give evidence?
According to the latest witness documents publicly available, filed on 24 June, the actor is not listed, so at the minute it is unclear whether or not he will take the stand.
Star defence
The actor is represented by Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, both graduates of Harvard Law School and partners in the New York office at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, one of the world's largest law firms.
Mr Nikas is best known for his work in the art world, having recovered works by Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. Mr Spiro previously served as a Manhattan prosecutor and his client list while in private practice has included Elon Musk and Jay-Z.
"We look forward to our day in court," they have said previously.
Trial timetable
The trial is listed for nine working days so is forecast to end on Friday 19 July, and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer has said she will keep lawyers in line and on schedule. However, once jurors are sent out to deliberate they may take longer than the allotted time, and the case would then run on for longer.
What is Baldwin best known for?
Born Alexander Rae Baldwin, the 66-year-old is the eldest of the four Baldwin brothers - Daniel, Stephen and Billy - who all went in to acting.
After appearances in TV shows such as the US soap Knots Landing, he emerged as a major movie star in the late 1980s and early '90s in films including Beetlejuice, The Hunt For Red October, Glengarry Glen Ross and A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2004, he was nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars for his performance in The Cooler.
Comedy dominated his later career as he won two Emmys for playing network executive Jack Donaghy on six seasons of 30 Rock, and a third for playing Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. He also memorably appeared in Friends as the endlessly enthusiastic Parker, a boyfriend of Phoebe, for two episodes.
He has been married to his wife, Hilaria, since 2012, and the couple have seven young children. He also has an older daughter, Ireland Baldwin, with his ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Who was Halyna Hutchins?
The 42-year-old cinematographer and mother-of-one grew up on an army base in the Russian Arctic, where her father served in the navy, before moving to Los Angeles to study film.
In 2015, Ms Hutchins graduated from the American Film Institute and in 2019 was named a rising star by the American Cinematographer trade magazine.
According to IMDb, she also won the English Riviera Film Festival's Jury prize for best cinematography for the short film Treacle in 2019.
BBC
The high-profile trial of Hollywood star Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film Rust is due to get under way in the US today.
It has been almost three years since Halyna Hutchins died after a gun held by the actor went off during a rehearsal in a church on set in New Mexico in October 2021.
Baldwin, 66, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
He has pleaded not guilty and said he was unaware the gun contained a live round. He has always maintained he pulled back the gun's hammer - but not the trigger - and the weapon fired accidentally.
The actor appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing yesterday, and the trial is going ahead despite motions for the case to be dismissed by his legal team. It is taking place at the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico in Santa Fe - about 20 miles northeast of the film set and the shooting.
Here is everything you need to know.
What happens today?
The trial starts with jury selection to choose the 12 citizens from Santa Fe County who will hear the evidence. This process is expected to take up all of today's time in court, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence set to begin tomorrow.
However, if jury selection is completed quickly, there is a chance the statements could be pulled forward to this afternoon, New Mexico time. The hearing is set to begin each day at 8.30am, which is 3.30pm in the UK.
What jurors have to decide
Prosecutors have two alternative standards for proving the charge; one is based on the negligent use of a firearm, the other is proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Baldwin acted with total disregard or indifference for the safety of others.
Jurors will have to reach just one verdict - guilty or not guilty - on a single count.
The others charged over the shooting
The film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez, and assistant director and safety co-ordinator Dave Halls, were also charged following Ms Hutchins' death.
Gutierrez, who was responsible for weapons on set, is in the process of appealing after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter following a separate trial earlier this year.
She was 24 at the time of the incident and Rust was her second assignment as an armourer for a feature film.
Following her conviction, Gutierrez said she had tried to do her best on the set despite not having "proper time, resources and staffing".
Halls, whose credits include The Matrix Reloaded, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon in 2023. He received a suspended sentence of six months of probation.
Witnesses
There were 12 people inside the church set on the day of the shooting. Some will testify during the trial, and the witness lists also include numerous police and FBI investigators and firearms experts who examined the gun involved.
Gutierrez is listed as a potential witness on the prosecution's list, although her lawyers have said she does not wish to incriminate herself as she appeals her conviction and will not answer questions on the stand.
Rust's director and writer Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting, is also listed by the prosecution, alongside Ross Addiego, a front-line crew member who built and operated systems for guiding the film's camera, Zac Sneesby, a sound engineer and boom operator who has worked on other projects including Stranger Things, camera operator Reid Russell, and script supervisor Mamie Mitchell.
Halls is listed as a potential witness for the defence, alongside other crew members including Lucas Hussack and Karen Kuehn, a stills photographer.
Will Baldwin give evidence?
According to the latest witness documents publicly available, filed on 24 June, the actor is not listed, so at the minute it is unclear whether or not he will take the stand.
Star defence
The actor is represented by Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, both graduates of Harvard Law School and partners in the New York office at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, one of the world's largest law firms.
Mr Nikas is best known for his work in the art world, having recovered works by Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. Mr Spiro previously served as a Manhattan prosecutor and his client list while in private practice has included Elon Musk and Jay-Z.
"We look forward to our day in court," they have said previously.
Trial timetable
The trial is listed for nine working days so is forecast to end on Friday 19 July, and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer has said she will keep lawyers in line and on schedule. However, once jurors are sent out to deliberate they may take longer than the allotted time, and the case would then run on for longer.
What is Baldwin best known for?
Born Alexander Rae Baldwin, the 66-year-old is the eldest of the four Baldwin brothers - Daniel, Stephen and Billy - who all went in to acting.
After appearances in TV shows such as the US soap Knots Landing, he emerged as a major movie star in the late 1980s and early '90s in films including Beetlejuice, The Hunt For Red October, Glengarry Glen Ross and A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2004, he was nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars for his performance in The Cooler.
Comedy dominated his later career as he won two Emmys for playing network executive Jack Donaghy on six seasons of 30 Rock, and a third for playing Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. He also memorably appeared in Friends as the endlessly enthusiastic Parker, a boyfriend of Phoebe, for two episodes.
He has been married to his wife, Hilaria, since 2012, and the couple have seven young children. He also has an older daughter, Ireland Baldwin, with his ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Who was Halyna Hutchins?
The 42-year-old cinematographer and mother-of-one grew up on an army base in the Russian Arctic, where her father served in the navy, before moving to Los Angeles to study film.
In 2015, Ms Hutchins graduated from the American Film Institute and in 2019 was named a rising star by the American Cinematographer trade magazine.
According to IMDb, she also won the English Riviera Film Festival's Jury prize for best cinematography for the short film Treacle in 2019.
BBC
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Baldwin 'played make-believe' with gun, Rust trial hears
Alec Baldwin's trial opened in New Mexico on Wednesday with the prosecution and defence painting starkly different pictures of the events leading up to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Mr Baldwin, known for roles on the sitcom 30 Rock and portraying Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, is facing up to 18 months in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Ms Hutchins, 42, died after a gun Mr Baldwin was rehearsing with went off. It was found that the film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, accidentally mixed up dummy bullets with live ammunition she had brought from home.
Mr Baldwin has pleaded not guilty and maintains he never pulled the trigger when the gun went off.
In their opening statements, the defence portrayed Mr Baldwin as an actor simply doing his job, who placed his trust in a crew charged with ensuring weapon safety.
Prosecutors argued he was a man with a flagrant disregard for gun safety on a film set with a small budget and an inexperienced cast.
Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson opened the trial by telling the jury that the case was "simple" and "straightforward".
Mr Baldwin "played make-believe with a real gun" and "violated the cardinal rules of firearms safety", Ms Johnson argued.
“While it was a movie set, it was a real, live workplace for many people," she said in her opening statements. "You will hear that this workplace was on a tight budget... and some of the people who were hired were inexperienced."
Mr Baldwin's defence team, however, argued firearms are treated differently on a film set, where each member of a cast has a designated role and obligation, including when it comes to safety and firearms.
"He was just acting as he's done for generations, and it was the safety apparatus that failed them all," Baldwin's lawyer Alex Spiro said.
"Alec Baldwin committed no crime," he said firmly, later adding: "It was an actor handling a prop."
Those crew members responsible for safety - including Gutierrez-Reed and David Halls, an assistant director and safety co-ordinator - failed their jobs, he argued.
"Real bullets are never supposed to be on movie sets," Mr Spiro said.
Both Halls and Gutierrez-Reed faced charges in the fatal shooting.
Halls has pleaded guilty to unsafe handling of a firearm and Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year, and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
A key issue during the trial is Mr Baldwin's claim that he did not pull the trigger when the revolver he was holding went off.
Prosecutors took aim at the claim early, detailing the extensive FBI tests done on the weapon.
It "worked perfectly fine as it was designed," Ms Johnson told the jury.
Mr Baldwin's team also brought up the tests and noted that during one of them, the FBI destroyed parts of the weapon - thus preventing it from being used for further analysis as part of their defence.
The rest of the trial will feature several witnesses and video and audio from the Rust set, including from the day Ms Hutchins was killed.
The first witness called on Wednesday was Officer Nicholas LeFleur, who responded to the scene and tried to aid Hutchins after she was shot.
Footage from his body camera was shown in court.
The room, which can hold about 100 people, was filled with heavy sighs as they watched some of Ms Hutchins' last moments.
Mr Baldwin was visibly uncomfortable, leaning back and forth and at some times grimacing and covering his face.
The trial is set to continue until 19 July. Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.
BBC
Alec Baldwin's trial opened in New Mexico on Wednesday with the prosecution and defence painting starkly different pictures of the events leading up to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Mr Baldwin, known for roles on the sitcom 30 Rock and portraying Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, is facing up to 18 months in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Ms Hutchins, 42, died after a gun Mr Baldwin was rehearsing with went off. It was found that the film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, accidentally mixed up dummy bullets with live ammunition she had brought from home.
Mr Baldwin has pleaded not guilty and maintains he never pulled the trigger when the gun went off.
In their opening statements, the defence portrayed Mr Baldwin as an actor simply doing his job, who placed his trust in a crew charged with ensuring weapon safety.
Prosecutors argued he was a man with a flagrant disregard for gun safety on a film set with a small budget and an inexperienced cast.
Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson opened the trial by telling the jury that the case was "simple" and "straightforward".
Mr Baldwin "played make-believe with a real gun" and "violated the cardinal rules of firearms safety", Ms Johnson argued.
“While it was a movie set, it was a real, live workplace for many people," she said in her opening statements. "You will hear that this workplace was on a tight budget... and some of the people who were hired were inexperienced."
Mr Baldwin's defence team, however, argued firearms are treated differently on a film set, where each member of a cast has a designated role and obligation, including when it comes to safety and firearms.
"He was just acting as he's done for generations, and it was the safety apparatus that failed them all," Baldwin's lawyer Alex Spiro said.
"Alec Baldwin committed no crime," he said firmly, later adding: "It was an actor handling a prop."
Those crew members responsible for safety - including Gutierrez-Reed and David Halls, an assistant director and safety co-ordinator - failed their jobs, he argued.
"Real bullets are never supposed to be on movie sets," Mr Spiro said.
Both Halls and Gutierrez-Reed faced charges in the fatal shooting.
Halls has pleaded guilty to unsafe handling of a firearm and Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year, and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
A key issue during the trial is Mr Baldwin's claim that he did not pull the trigger when the revolver he was holding went off.
Prosecutors took aim at the claim early, detailing the extensive FBI tests done on the weapon.
It "worked perfectly fine as it was designed," Ms Johnson told the jury.
Mr Baldwin's team also brought up the tests and noted that during one of them, the FBI destroyed parts of the weapon - thus preventing it from being used for further analysis as part of their defence.
The rest of the trial will feature several witnesses and video and audio from the Rust set, including from the day Ms Hutchins was killed.
The first witness called on Wednesday was Officer Nicholas LeFleur, who responded to the scene and tried to aid Hutchins after she was shot.
Footage from his body camera was shown in court.
The room, which can hold about 100 people, was filled with heavy sighs as they watched some of Ms Hutchins' last moments.
Mr Baldwin was visibly uncomfortable, leaning back and forth and at some times grimacing and covering his face.
The trial is set to continue until 19 July. Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.
BBC
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Alec Baldwin's Rust trial dismissed over hidden evidence
Alec Baldwin broke down in tears as a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him for a fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust.
The trial collapsed three days into Baldwin's trial in Santa Fe, at a court just miles from where Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer, was shot with a revolver that Mr Baldwin was using in rehearsals.
It is the second time the case against the actor has been dismissed since the October 2021 shooting. He will not be tried again.
His lawyers alleged police and prosecutors hid evidence - a batch of bullets - that could have been connected to the shooting.
A key aspect of the case has been how live ammunition ended up on the set and Mr Baldwin’s lawyers have questioned the investigation and mistakes made by authorities who processed the scene.
Their motion to dismiss sparked a remarkable set of events, with one of the two special prosecutors leading the case resigning, and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissing the jury to hear from multiple witnesses.
The bullets, Mr Baldwin's lawyer said, could be related to Ms Hutchins' death, but were filed in a different case with a different number.
Prosecutors argued the ammunition was not connected to the case and did not match bullets found on the Rust set.
The judge ruled, however, that they should have been shared with Mr Baldwin's defence team regardless.
"The state's wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate," she said from the bench. "There is no way for the court to right this wrong."
Prosecutors will not be able to lodge the charge against Baldwin again, as the judge did not rule the case a mistrial, but instead outright dismissed it with prejudice.
"It was the nuclear option. The case is over," Los Angeles trial attorney Joshua Ritter told the BBC.
Mr Baldwin, best known for his role on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and for portraying Donald Trump on sketch show Saturday Night Live, wept as the judge read from a lengthy statement detailing her reasons for the dismissal. His wife, Hilaria, covered her mouth. Other members of his family cried and smiled.
The actor hugged his lawyers then embraced his wife, who was seated behind him. They walked out hand-in-hand through a tunnel of press into a black vehicle without answering any questions or making any comments.
The evidence came to light on Thursday, when a crime-scene technician told the court that a man named Troy Teske, a retired police officer, had turned over live ammunition that could be related to the case.
Mr Teske is friends with the step-father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armourer who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year.
He was working with Seth Kenney, who helped with props and ammunition on the film set.
After the judge sent the jury home on Friday, the court heard from a series of witnesses about the bullets, including authorities who led the case and Mr Kenney.
Towards the end of the hearing, one of the prosecutors leading the case - Kari Morrissey - took the stand to testify about the bullets and why they weren't shared with the defence. It's remarkably rare for a prosecutor to testify in a case they bring about their role in the investigation.
Ms Morrissey testified the ammunition had “no evidentiary value” from her perspective. While on the stand, she said that her co-prosecutor, Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, resigned on Friday as the judge weighed to dismiss the case.
She explained Ms Johnson "didn't agree with the decision to have a public hearing" over the evidence claims.
BBC
Alec Baldwin broke down in tears as a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him for a fatal shooting on the set of the film Rust.
The trial collapsed three days into Baldwin's trial in Santa Fe, at a court just miles from where Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer, was shot with a revolver that Mr Baldwin was using in rehearsals.
It is the second time the case against the actor has been dismissed since the October 2021 shooting. He will not be tried again.
His lawyers alleged police and prosecutors hid evidence - a batch of bullets - that could have been connected to the shooting.
A key aspect of the case has been how live ammunition ended up on the set and Mr Baldwin’s lawyers have questioned the investigation and mistakes made by authorities who processed the scene.
Their motion to dismiss sparked a remarkable set of events, with one of the two special prosecutors leading the case resigning, and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissing the jury to hear from multiple witnesses.
The bullets, Mr Baldwin's lawyer said, could be related to Ms Hutchins' death, but were filed in a different case with a different number.
Prosecutors argued the ammunition was not connected to the case and did not match bullets found on the Rust set.
The judge ruled, however, that they should have been shared with Mr Baldwin's defence team regardless.
"The state's wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate," she said from the bench. "There is no way for the court to right this wrong."
Prosecutors will not be able to lodge the charge against Baldwin again, as the judge did not rule the case a mistrial, but instead outright dismissed it with prejudice.
"It was the nuclear option. The case is over," Los Angeles trial attorney Joshua Ritter told the BBC.
Mr Baldwin, best known for his role on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and for portraying Donald Trump on sketch show Saturday Night Live, wept as the judge read from a lengthy statement detailing her reasons for the dismissal. His wife, Hilaria, covered her mouth. Other members of his family cried and smiled.
The actor hugged his lawyers then embraced his wife, who was seated behind him. They walked out hand-in-hand through a tunnel of press into a black vehicle without answering any questions or making any comments.
The evidence came to light on Thursday, when a crime-scene technician told the court that a man named Troy Teske, a retired police officer, had turned over live ammunition that could be related to the case.
Mr Teske is friends with the step-father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armourer who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year.
He was working with Seth Kenney, who helped with props and ammunition on the film set.
After the judge sent the jury home on Friday, the court heard from a series of witnesses about the bullets, including authorities who led the case and Mr Kenney.
Towards the end of the hearing, one of the prosecutors leading the case - Kari Morrissey - took the stand to testify about the bullets and why they weren't shared with the defence. It's remarkably rare for a prosecutor to testify in a case they bring about their role in the investigation.
Ms Morrissey testified the ammunition had “no evidentiary value” from her perspective. While on the stand, she said that her co-prosecutor, Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, resigned on Friday as the judge weighed to dismiss the case.
She explained Ms Johnson "didn't agree with the decision to have a public hearing" over the evidence claims.
BBC
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Alec Baldwin film set shooting case ends after prosecutors drop appeal
New Mexico prosecutors will not pursue an appeal of a court’s decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a western movie, the Santa Fe district attorney’s office announced Monday.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the appeal of a July decision at trial to dismiss the charge against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on set for the movie Rust outside Santa Fe in October 2021.
“Today’s decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning – this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime,” said defence attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro. “The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.”
Representatives for the state attorney general could not be reached immediately.
The decision to drop the appeal solidifies the decision by judge Mary Marlowe Sommer halfway through the trial to dismiss the case on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defence.
Baldwin’s trial was upended by revelations that ammunition was brought into the Santa Fe county sheriff’s office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins’ killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s lawyers say investigators “buried” the evidence in a separate case file and filed a successful motion to dismiss.
The district attorney’s office said that under state law the New Mexico attorney general would have carried forward the appeal but “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal on behalf of the prosecution”.
“As a result, the state’s efforts to continue to litigate the case in a fair and comprehensive manner have been met with multiple barriers that have compromised its ability to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” local prosecutors said.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for Rust, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on set when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired.
In April, a judge sentenced movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to the maximum of one and a half years at a state penitentiary on an involuntary manslaughter conviction in Hutchins’ death.
Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition on to the set of Rust, where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.
Assistant director and safety coordinator David Halls pleaded no contest to the negligent use of a deadly weapon and was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.
Several civil lawsuits have been brought against Baldwin and Rust producers, including a complaint by Hutchins’ parents and sister. Prosecutors said Hutchins’ death has prompted industry-wide scrutiny of safety protocols, especially the use of firearms and live ammunition on set.
SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...oting-case-ends-after-prosecutors-drop-appeal
New Mexico prosecutors will not pursue an appeal of a court’s decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a western movie, the Santa Fe district attorney’s office announced Monday.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the appeal of a July decision at trial to dismiss the charge against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on set for the movie Rust outside Santa Fe in October 2021.
“Today’s decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning – this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime,” said defence attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro. “The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.”
Representatives for the state attorney general could not be reached immediately.
The decision to drop the appeal solidifies the decision by judge Mary Marlowe Sommer halfway through the trial to dismiss the case on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defence.
Baldwin’s trial was upended by revelations that ammunition was brought into the Santa Fe county sheriff’s office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins’ killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s lawyers say investigators “buried” the evidence in a separate case file and filed a successful motion to dismiss.
The district attorney’s office said that under state law the New Mexico attorney general would have carried forward the appeal but “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal on behalf of the prosecution”.
“As a result, the state’s efforts to continue to litigate the case in a fair and comprehensive manner have been met with multiple barriers that have compromised its ability to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” local prosecutors said.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for Rust, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on set when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired.
In April, a judge sentenced movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to the maximum of one and a half years at a state penitentiary on an involuntary manslaughter conviction in Hutchins’ death.
Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition on to the set of Rust, where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.
Assistant director and safety coordinator David Halls pleaded no contest to the negligent use of a deadly weapon and was sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.
Several civil lawsuits have been brought against Baldwin and Rust producers, including a complaint by Hutchins’ parents and sister. Prosecutors said Hutchins’ death has prompted industry-wide scrutiny of safety protocols, especially the use of firearms and live ammunition on set.
SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...oting-case-ends-after-prosecutors-drop-appeal
Savak
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Hopefully he will pay big time in these Civil Suits
shaz619
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Ah damn, took an awful long time for him to be cleared. I was hoping to see him in Bettlejuice 2, it wasn’t to be.
rpant_gabba
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Why? He was given a tool, which experts checked and certified as safe. If the tool was not safe, what is his fault?
RedwoodOriginal
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While most of the blame lies on the person who gave him the gun, he bears some responsibility for not checking if the gun was loaded or not.
rpant_gabba
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It was meant to be loaded with dummy rounds. It was not meant to be empty.
It’s the armorers job (l’m one btw) to make sure it didn’t have “live” rounds
Savak
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If the script required to shoot himself, would he have double checked to ensure the gun was loaded with live bullets or not or would he have blindly relied on the armourer?
If he would have been more careful in the first scenario then why did he not excercise the same level of care and due care when he was shooting someone else as per script.
rpant_gabba
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have you ever used a firearm? do you have any knowledge on differentiating between live and dummy rounds?
a simple yes or no would do
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RedwoodOriginal
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It’s a movie set. Any actor who has worked on a movie set with guns knows the steps you’re supposed to follow. You’re shown the gun, the barrel is checked to ensure it’s clear and that there’s nothing wedged inside, and you’re shown the blanks used for the scene.
An actor of Baldwin's experience should have been more diligent in that situation, and should have ensured it was safe to use. The bulk of the responsibility lies on the person who have him the gun but Baldwin does bear some responsibility for that woman's death.
rpant_gabba
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Actually No. The proper procedure is to hand the firearm with the dummy rounds loaded to he actor and as soon as the scene is done, you take it away.
Would you mind clarifying what you call blanks?
Might be a confusion in terminology
1) No amateur can tell the difference between dummy rounds and real rounds by casual inspection
Have you used firearms and created ammunition
2) "If" the scene calls for him to pull the trigger, I don't see how the actor has any blame here
RedwoodOriginal
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I think I will take Tarantino's word on this. A renowned filmmaker who has made numerous films involving guns, as opposed to someone like you who clearly has no idea what he is talking about.
Quentin Tarantino Says Alec Baldwin Is “10 Percent” Responsible for ‘Rust’ Shooting
While appearing on Bill Maher's podcast 'Club Random,' the filmmaker opined that "you are a partner in the responsibility to some degree" when it comes to actors being involved in such accidents on set.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
rpant_gabba
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LMAO. so you are appealing to authority, that too a a film director not a firearms expert.I think I will take Tarantino's word on this. A renowned filmmaker who has made numerous films involving guns, as opposed to someone like you who clearly has no idea what he is talking about.
Quentin Tarantino Says Alec Baldwin Is “10 Percent” Responsible for ‘Rust’ Shooting
While appearing on Bill Maher's podcast 'Club Random,' the filmmaker opined that "you are a partner in the responsibility to some degree" when it comes to actors being involved in such accidents on set.
So you previous post was a verbatim copy of Taratino and passing it off as your own words.
If that works for you great.
RedwoodOriginal
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- 17,036
- Post of the Week
- 4
You have zero idea what you are talking about
rpant_gabba
First Class Player
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2023
- Runs
- 2,849
care to elaborate? or is it going to more of what Tarantino says.
rpant_gabba
First Class Player
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2023
- Runs
- 2,849
Still waiting bro.
RedwoodOriginal
Senior T20I Player
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
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- 17,036
- Post of the Week
- 4
I reckon you will be waiting another six months if you don't learn how to comprehend basic English.
Maybe go back and try to read my response slowly this time. Read one word at a time. That might be easier for you.
rpant_gabba
First Class Player
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2023
- Runs
- 2,849
You must be a great dodgeball player.
RedwoodOriginal
Senior T20I Player
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
- Runs
- 17,036
- Post of the Week
- 4
You don’t need a reply, you need a mirror and a long conversation with it.
Now why don’t you go cry for attention to someone who actually gives a damn?
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