(BrightPress.org) – Alec Baldwin made his first official statement on July 13th since a judge in New Mexico dropped his involuntary manslaughter trial. In an Instagram post, he expressed deep gratitude for the kindness shown towards his family. In court, Baldwin broke down as the judge criticized the prosecution’s handling of evidence.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said prosecutors showed “scorching prejudice” against Baldwin.
Baldwin’s lawyers had constantly criticized how the prosecutors handled things. This result makes people wonder how law enforcement dealt with the almost three-year case about the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a film set. Erlinda O. Johnson, one of the state’s special prosecutors, quit the case on July 12th. The other prosecutor, Kari Morrissey, said she acknowledges the judge’s decision but doesn’t agree with it. She claimed the defense misunderstood how important the evidence was.
The evidence in question was ammo brought to the sheriff’s office on the day Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the person responsible for loading the gun Baldwin fired, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. It remains unclear how the live ammunition ended up on the set.
Morrissey claimed the ammunition had no connection to the case, while defense lawyers argued they should’ve been allowed to decide its relevance. Judge Sommer sided with Baldwin, stating that the late discovery of this evidence impacted the fairness of the proceedings.
Baldwin’s lawyers have warned the Santa Fe sheriff and prosecutors of “future litigation” over their actions. They sent preservation notices to ensure all relevant information related to the trial is kept intact. The lawyers requested the preservation of all devices, hard drives, emails, text messages, and other electronic communications.
The case against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, preventing prosecutors from re-filing the charge. Last week, Judge Sommer dismissed the felony count of involuntary manslaughter after Baldwin’s lawyers filed an emergency motion. They alleged that prosecutors and investigators had withheld evidence. The dismissal marks a significant turn in the long and contentious legal battle surrounding the tragic incident on the set of “Rust.”
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