Alec Baldwin breaks down in tears as his ‘Rust’ shooting trial is thrown out: Updates

Baldwin, 66, became visibly emotional, holding his head in his hands and embracing his lawyer. He then turned around and embraced his wife, Hilaria Baldwin.

The case was dismissed on Friday after it was found that the state had withheld evidence that could have shed light on how live rounds got onto the set of the Rust movie, where the young cinematographer was fatally shot.

“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said in court adding that dismissal of the case was needed to ensure “the integrity of the judicial system.”

“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Marlowe Sommer said. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith it certainly comes so near to bad faith to show signs of scorching.”

Members of the actor’s family, including his wife, younger brother Stephen Baldwin and older sister Elizabeth Keuchler — have been present in the courtroom to support him throughout proceedings.

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Following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, reports emerged that workers had previously walked off the set over complaints of low pay and poor working conditions.

At a cost of $7m, Rust was seen as a low-budget, independent movie – meaning it cost less than $20m and did not have the backing of a major studio.

So did the movie’s tight budget play a part in the tragedy?

Lawyers for convicted Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed say they will move to have her case dismissed following the collapse of the prosecution of Alec Baldwin.

The Hollywood star’s involuntary manslaughter case over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was thrown out by a New Mexico judge on Friday afternoon.

“The judge found intentional misconduct and we also have had the same failures in Hannah’s case, by the State. We will be moving for dismissal of Hannah’s case,” said Jason Bowles, attorney for Gutierrez-Reed, following the shock collapse of Baldwin’s case.

Alec Baldwin has slashed the asking price for his home in the Hamptons by $10m ahead of his trial for involuntary manslaughter on the set of Rust.

The 30 Rock actor originally listed the 10,000-square-foot farmhouse for sale at $29m in November 2022. It is now on the market for $18.9m following a series of cuts.

On Friday, a New Mexico judge threw out his case and he walked free.

Alec Baldwin wept in court after his high profile criminal trial, in which he faced involuntary manslaughter charges over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, was thrown out by a New Mexico judge.

The case was dismissed on Friday after it was found that the state had withheld evidence that could have shed light on how live rounds got onto the set of the Rust movie, where the young cinematographer was fatally shot.

“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said in court adding that dismissal of the case was needed to ensure “the integrity of the judicial system.”

“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Marlowe Sommer said. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith it certainly comes so near to bad faith to show signs of scorching.”

Mike Bedigan reports:

Eminem has courted further controversy on his new album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) with a blunt reference to Alec Baldwin and the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

The record arrives while Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter remains ongoing.

On a song titled “Fuel”, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, raps: “F*** around and get popped like Halyna Hutchins / Like I’m Alec Baldwin, what I mean is buckin’ you down, coup de grâce then / Right between the f***in’ / I shoot ’em all in if you think you’re f***in’ with me.”

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Judge Sommer put a pause on the trial earlier Friday while she considered the defense motion to dismiss the case over the evidence.

The defense argued that prosecutors hid evidence from them about the ammunition that may be related to the shooting on the set of the Western “Rust” in 2021. The defense said they should have had the ability to determine its importance.

The prosecution said that the ammunition was not connected to the case and was not hidden.

The issue emerged Thursday on the second day of the actor’s trial during defense questioning of sheriff’s crime scene technician Marissa Poppell.

Baldwin lawyer Alex Spiro asked whether a “good Samaritan” had come into the sheriff’s office with the ammunition earlier this year after the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, for her role in Hutchins’ death.

She was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction, which she is now appealing.