In a shocking move, Alec Baldwin’s Rust shooting trial has been dismissed. Deadline reports that, on Friday, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ended the trial’s evidentiary hearing over a defense motion to dismiss based on “concealed” and “critical” evidence that Baldwin’s lawyer filed late Thursday. In a photo, shown below, Baldwin’s wife Hilaria could be seen giving him a tearful embrace after the decision was announced.
The outlet also states that the evidence — bullets turned over to Santa Fe, New Mexico police by ex-Arizona cop Troy Teske — could also lead to incarcerated Rust being released from state prison. Deadline states that sources have said Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers plan to file a motion for her release as soon as possible.
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In October 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of Rust after a prop gun, held by Baldwin, was discharged. The gun was initially not believed to be loaded with live rounds. Director Joel Souza was non-fatally injured during the incident. In January 2023, it was announced that both Baldwin and armorer Gutierrez-Reed would be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin’s charges were dropped at one point, but later they were re-filed.
Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty, in May, of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death. While she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, the jury did not find Gutierrez-Reed guilty on charges of obstructing justice. In April, she was to serve 18 months in prison.
Baldwin has maintained his innocence throughout the investigations and court hearings, asserting that he did not pull the trigger on the gun, and that he had no reason to believe his prop gun was loaded with live ammunition.
