Alec Baldwin Manslaughter Case Ends as Prosecutors Drop Appeal

The long-running legal saga involving actor Alec Baldwin and the fatal shooting on the set of Rust has officially come to a close. On Monday, New Mexico Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew her appeal of the case’s dismissal, effectively ending all criminal proceedings against Baldwin.

Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter following the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. Hutchins was killed when a firearm Baldwin was holding discharged on the set. Baldwin maintained throughout the case that he never pulled the trigger, while the prosecution argued he acted recklessly and was criminally negligent.

The case took a dramatic turn earlier this year when Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed it on the third day of the trial. The dismissal came after it was revealed that prosecutors had failed to disclose a cache of bullets to the defense evidence that could have been crucial to the case. Prosecutors initially appealed the dismissal, but on Monday, Morrissey announced the state attorney general’s office would not pursue the matter further.

Baldwin’s lawyers, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, called the decision a vindication. “Today’s decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime. The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico,” they said in a statement.

The Rust incident had already led to multiple legal outcomes:

• Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March for allegedly loading the live round. Her appeal was denied.

• David Halls, the movie’s safety coordinator, pleaded no contest to negligent use of a firearm and received six months of unsupervised parole.

• Baldwin previously settled a civil lawsuit with Hutchins’ family in 2022, with her widower describing the incident as a “terrible accident.”

Despite Baldwin’s legal victory, controversy continues to follow the case. Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, publicly criticized the release of Rust, boycotting the film’s premiere in Poland and accusing Baldwin of profiting from her daughter’s death.

While the legal proceedings are now over, the tragic accident has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, sparking debates about on-set safety and accountability.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on high-profile legal cases shaping America.