SANTE FE, N.M. — In a surprising development, the judge in Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter trial tossed the case out on Friday, agreeing with the actor’s lawyers’ argument that prosecutors suppressed evidence that could be related to the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halina Hutchins on the set of the Western film “Lust.”
“There is no way for the court to correct this error,” First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said. “The sanction of dismissal is the only legitimate remedy.” Dismissal is appealable, meaning the manslaughter suit against the actor cannot be filed again.
As Judge Sommer announced the sentence, Baldwin, 66, buried his face in his hands and sobbed, before embracing his wife, Hilaria, as his lawyers and spectators filed out of the courtroom.
Had the jury unanimously found Baldwin guilty of the felony, he could have faced up to 18 months in prison. On October 21, 2021, the actor was rehearsing a scene at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County when a prop revolver he was holding went off, killing Hutchins (42) and injuring director Joel Souza.
The actor, known for his appearances on “30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live,” has pleaded not guilty, claiming he did not know the gun was loaded with live ammunition and that he accidentally fired it after being instructed to point it at Hutchins.
Baldwin’s lawyers argued that the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office seized live ammunition as evidence but did not record it in the official case file or disclose its existence to the actor’s legal team.
Kari Morrissey, the special prosecutor in the case, argued that the ammunition in question was not related to the case and was not hidden from Baldwin’s lawyers.
After the ruling, Morrissey said he was disappointed with the court’s dismissal and disagreed, but respected the decision.
“I think the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense,” Morrissey told reporters outside court.
When asked if she felt she had let down the Hutchins family, Morrissey replied: “No, I have not. We did everything humanly possible to bring justice to Halina and her family and we are proud of our work.”
The dispute over the evidence erupted Thursday when Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician Marissa Poppel testified under cross-examination that a “good Samaritan” came to authorities earlier this year with the ammunition.
The Colt .45 caliber bullets were delivered to the sheriff’s office in March by former police officer Troy Teske, a friend of “The Last” gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez Reed’s stepfather, Teru Reed, on the same day she was convicted of manslaughter in Hutchins’ death (she later died). Sentenced to 18 months in prison In prison.
Baldwin’s lawyers asked the judge to dismiss the case primarily because of this revelation, arguing that they should have been informed about the Colt .45 caliber bullets and should have been given the authority to decide for themselves whether the ammunition Teske brought was material to the case.
The actor and his team already won a major legal victory this week when First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled during a pretrial hearing on Monday that his role as a co-producer on “Lust” was irrelevant to the trial, preventing prosecutors from arguing that he had special responsibilities on set.
Baldwin is a three-time Emmy Award winner best known for his work on NBC’s “30 Rock” and as host of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” a record 17 times, and his filmography includes “Beetlejuice,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Glengarry Glen Ross” and “The Cooler,” the last of which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
The road to trial was full of twists and turns.
Baldwin was initially charged with manslaughter and a firearms charge, but the firearms charge was ultimately dropped. The charges were dropped overall in April 2023 after prosecutors cited “new facts in the case.” Then, in January, a grand jury re-indicted him on a manslaughter charge.
Baldwin’s lawyers asked a judge to dismiss the case last month, arguing that the gun was severely damaged during forensic testing at an FBI lab, but the motion was denied.
Gutierrez Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said he would seek his client’s freedom after Baldwin’s case was dismissed.
“The government’s pattern of misconduct in this case and in the case of Hannah Gutierrez Reed is truly shocking,” Bowles said. “We will be acting to seek her immediate release.”
