LOS ANGELES (AP) — A New Mexico judge suddenly dismissed the manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin on Friday in the shooting death of cinematographer Halina Hutchins.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case, citing misconduct by police and prosecutors in concealing evidence from the defence. She said the case cannot be refiled.
Baldwin, a lead actor and co-producer on the film “Lust,” pointed a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on the set outside Santa Fe in October 2021, causing the gun to go off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled the hammer but not the trigger, causing the gun to fire.
He and other producers still face civil lawsuits from Hutchins’ parents and sister, but white-collar crimes lawyer Mark Sedlander told The Associated Press that such lawsuits are more common in workplace accidents like the fatal shooting.
“By civil law standards, it’s common for someone like Mr. Baldwin to be held responsible for what happened, but it’s relatively unusual in a criminal case,” Sedlander said in an interview before the lawsuit was dismissed.
It’s unclear if “The Last” will be released. The story follows Western outlaw Baldwin as he tries to break his grandson out of prison after he’s been convicted of negligent murder. Filming will wrap in 2023, with producers saying they completed the movie to respect Hutchins’ artistic vision and to raise funds for his young son.
The “30 Rock” star and “Saturday Night Live” host, who has been a household name for more than three decades, has his career in jeopardy and could face 18 months in prison if convicted.
In June, with the trial looming, Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria, announced they would star in a reality TV show about their large family – he has seven children with Hilaria and an adult daughter, Ireland Baldwin, with ex-wife Kim Basinger.
The TLC series, tentatively titled “The Baldwins,” is scheduled to premiere in 2025.
