A New Mexico judge has upheld her decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie. State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stood by her ruling, stating that prosecutors did not present any new arguments to justify reversing her decision. Baldwin’s lawyers had no immediate reaction to the decision, while special prosecutor Kari Morrissey plans to appeal the ruling.
The involuntary manslaughter charge was initially dismissed midway through trial due to withheld evidence by police and prosecutors in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film set of “Rust.” Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal when the revolver went off, killing her and injuring the director. The movie weapons supervisor, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Marlowe Sommer also rejected Gutierrez-Reed’s request for a new trial based on allegations of withheld evidence. She found no reasonable possibility that the trial outcome would have been different with the additional evidence. The case continues to unfold as Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed navigate the legal aftermath of the tragic incident.
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