Santa Fe, New Mexico – In an early legal victory for actor Alec Baldwin, the judge overseeing his New Mexico manslaughter trial ruled Monday that prosecutors could not present evidence that he was a producer on the film “Lust.”
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer granted the defense’s request to bar the state from introducing testimony about how Baldwin’s role as a producer on the Western film “Lust” led him to act recklessly and ignore gun safety regulations.
“I am extremely troubled by the state’s position that it seeks to prove that as a producer, it did not follow the guidelines and that, as an actor, Mr. Baldwin erred in all of these respects,” the judge said during a hearing in Santa Fe’s First Judicial District Court. “The evidence of any unfair prejudice or confusion to the jury does not materially outweigh its probative value.”
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New Mexico prosecutors claim Alec Baldwin was “reckless” on the set of Lust. (Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office/New Mexico State Courts)
Baldwin is accused of accidentally firing a gun that was loaded with live ammunition on a film set in October 2021, killing cinematographer Halina Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty.
The judge’s decision was a major blow to the prosecution’s case. Baldwin, who was at the defense table, did not react to the verdict.
Prosecutors argue that as the film’s producer and most experienced member of the cast, he bears ultimate responsibility for reckless behavior on set.
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Alec Baldwin arrives at the First Judicial District Court on Monday, July 8, 2024, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“Defendant, in his capacity as producer, had the audacity to rush the crew and demand last-minute changes to the scene in the days leading up to October 21, 2021, thereby putting the crew at risk and endangering others, including Ms. Hutchins,” special prosecutor Erlinda Johnson argued in court documents. “In his capacity as producer, Mr. Baldwin was acutely aware of his obligation to adhere to established safety protocols and to maintain orderly conduct on set.”
Johnson argued Baldwin should have known he was being “reckless and reckless” when he pointed the gun at Hutchins.
Judge Sommer’s ruling also bars prosecutors from introducing a potentially compromising video showing Baldwin lunging at staff and yelling orders.
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An aerial view of the church where Halina Hutchins was shot and killed on the set of the movie “Lust.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
His lawyer, Luke Nikas, argued that Baldwin’s role as a producer was irrelevant to the charges against him and would only confuse jurors.
During a brief recess after Judge Sommer handed down her ruling, Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey downplayed the significance of the sentence, saying she had “no particular concerns.”
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The film’s gun officer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was tried and convicted of the same charges Baldwin faces and is currently serving an 18-month sentence: she unknowingly loaded a revolver with live ammunition.
Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
