Judge dismisses involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer of the First Judicial District of New Mexico dismissed the case with prejudice Friday afternoon, meaning that the case cannot be brought again. In a live video stream from Court TV, Baldwin could be seen weeping and hugging his defense attorneys and his wife Hilaria after Judge Sommer announced her ruling. The charges stemmed from a 2021 accidental fatal shooting on a movie set.

What was the basis for Judge Sommer’s decision? Sommer granted a motion by Baldwin’s attorneys that the case be dismissed because the state had improperly disclosed evidence to the defense. Judge Sommer agreed with the claim, arguing that prosecutors had suppressed important evidence that was helpful to Baldwin’s defense and that the case was irreparably damaged as a result.

Why was Baldwin on trial? The 66-year-old actor pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges in the October 2021 death of filmmaker Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin’s prop Colt .45 revolver went off on the set of the western film Rust, killing Hutchins instantly. The actor confirmed that the gun was in his hand when it fired and that he pulled the hammer back, but he maintained that he did not pull the trigger. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed received the maximum sentence of 18 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter in April in connection with the same incident.