Alec Baldwin Sues ‘Rust’ Prosecutor Over Dismissed Shooting Trial

Despite charges against Alec Baldwin being dropped in the Rust shooting, the situation is far from over, legally. The actor has now filed his own lawsuit. The Associated Press reports the actor has filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations at state district court in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Last summer, a judge dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was accidentally shot by a loaded prop gun Baldwin was holding during a rehearsal scene. 

In Baldwin’s dismissal, First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer blasted prosecutors for their alleged “willful and deliberate misconduct,” The Hollywood Reporter notes. Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey was found to have repeatedly failed to bring forth evidence, but also gave “inconsistent” testimony related to the evidence she suppressed.

In his lawsuit, Baldwin also sues for defamation on the grounds that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence as they pursued the case for their own political gain and wins. The 2021 accidental shooting death attracted worldwide coverage and brought pressure to hold people responsible. From the beginning, Baldwin insisted he never fired the gun. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is currently serving an 18-month sentence. 

“Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law,” Baldwin’s lawsuit states. 

Following last year’s dismissal, Baldwin took to social media to express his thanks. “There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now,” he wrote alongside an image of himself in court in an Instagram post. “To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.”

Three years after the fatal incident, Rust premiered at Camerimage, a film festival in Poland celebrating cinematography.