Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging malicious prosecution and civil rights violations in relation to the “Rust” shooting case, according to multiple reports.
The famous actor alleged defamation in the lawsuit, claiming that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence as they pursued the case, according to The Associated Press. Defendants named in the lawsuit include special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, and three investigators from the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office and the county board of commissioners. Baldwin is seeking unspecified punitive damages, compensatory damages, and attorneys’ fees and interest, according to The Associated Press.
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO – JULY 12: Alec Baldwin gets emotional at the conclusion of his trial for involuntary manslaughter in First Judicial District Court on July 12, 2024 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The trial for involuntary manslaughter was dismissed by a judge Friday after she ruled that key evidence over a fatal shooting on the set of “Rust” had been withheld from the defense. (Photo by Ramsay de Give-Pool/Getty Images)
A judge dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in July in the case surrounding the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.”
“Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law,” the lawsuit filed by Baldwin reads, according to The Associated Press. He also alleges that prosecutors and investigators targeted Baldwin for professional or political gain.
It was discovered that a man brought ammunition into the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in March, claiming it could be associated with the fatal “Rust” shooting. Prosecutors deemed the ammunition to be unrelated and irrelevant to the case. Baldwin’s investigators accused them of burying the evidence in a separate folder before filing a successful motion to dismiss in December.
Morrissey said she was aware of Baldwin’s intention to file litigation more than a year before he filed documents in court.(RELATED: ‘Cynical Public Relations Move’: Halyna Hutchins’ Attorney Blasts Alec Baldwin For Launching Reality TV Show)
“In October 2023 the prosecution team became aware that Mr. Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit,” she told The Associated Press in a text message Thursday.
“We look forward to our day in court.”
Baldwin has returned to various entertainment projects since the dismissal of his case.
