Alec Baldwin breaks down in tears as his ‘Rust’ shooting trial is thrown out: Updates
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense
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Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has been thrown out after just a week of testimony.
The Hollywood actor, 66, broke down in tears and hugged his attorneys and his wife Hilaria after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer announced her decision at the end of a chaotic day in the New Mexico courtroom.
Judge Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense. The prosecution will not be able to file charges against Baldwin again in Hutchins’ death.
Nearly three years have passed since a prop gun Baldwin was holding went off during a rehearsal of the film’s shooting scene in 2021, striking and killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter and faced 18 months in prison. Now, he walks free.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Her attorney says he plans to move to have her case dismissed.
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today
According to reporters at the Alec Baldwin trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today.
Prosecution is running behind with their witnesses, which delays the trial schedule.
A motion hearing will be held this morning before court resumes with the lead detective in the case.
No Hannah Gutierrez-Reed today. This trial is running behind schedule. Motion this AM is regarding the bullets brought in to the sheriff's office by the "Good Samaritan" after Hannah's conviction. Prosecution says the Good Samaritan was a friend of Hannah's father, legendary…
— Angenette Levy (@Angenette5) July 12, 2024
Will Hannah Gutierrez-Reed testify?
Questions still remain about whether or not Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Rust film set, will testify on Friday – or at all – during Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial.
She has been transported from prison to the courthouse in Santa Fe, but her attorney has said she will plead the Fifth.
There are reports that special prosecutor Kari Morrissey is now unsure whether she will call Gutierrez-Reed to testify.
Gutierrez-Reed has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Erlinda Johnson arrive for Baldwin trial
Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey, Erlinda Johnson and Jason Lewis have arrived at the Santa Fe courthouse on Friday for Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial.
Special prosecutors arrive - Kari Morrissey, Erlinda Johnson and Jason Lewis. I asked about this morning’s motion @LawCrimeNetwork #AlecBaldwin pic.twitter.com/8eB14njDcO
— Angenette Levy (@Angenette5) July 12, 2024
Crowd gathers outside courthouse for Alec Baldwin’s trial
LIVE: Alec Baldwin on trial for involuntary manslaughter in fatal shooting on 'Rust' set https://t.co/kiFNSJSirb
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 12, 2024
Court will resume at 10:30am ET
Alec Baldwin will be back in court today as the first week of his involuntary manslaughter trial comes to a close.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film set “Rust,” who was convicted in March, is set to take the stand.
But will she speak? Her attorney has said she will plead the fifth.
Gutierrez-Reed is reportedly being transported from prison to the Santa Fe courthouse this morning.
Who is Hannah Gutierrez-Reed?
The stepdaughter of renowned sharpshooter and weapons consultant Thell Reed, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was 24 at the time of the deadly rehearsal on the “Rust” film set in Santa Fe.
“Rust” was her second assignment as an armorer in a feature film.
Her attorneys argued that she was scapegoated, pointing to safety concerns that went beyond their client.
She was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction, which she's appealing.
At her sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed said she had tried to do her best on the set despite not having “proper time, resources and staffing.”
Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed set to testify today
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a movie weapons armorer, is expected to be transported from prison to the courthouse this morning, but her attorney has said she will plead the fifth.
In March, Gutierrez-Reed received the maximum sentence of 18 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting.
A New Mexico judge found that Gutierrez-Reed’s recklessness amounted to a serious violent offense, while noting few indications of genuine remorse from the defendant since her conviction.
Prosecutors blame Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of “Rust,” where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun-safety protocols.
‘Have some manners’: Judge in Alec Baldwin trial scolds media for mess
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer scolded members of the media on Thursday for not cleaning up their cups and water bottles at Santa Fe’s 1st Judicial District Court of New Mexico.
“One more cup and everybody is not allowed to bring any liquids of any kind whatsoever,” she said.
“My staff and our county people are not going to be picking up trash that you all could pick up. Okay? And that also means downstairs in the jury assembly room,” she added.
“So one more cup, one more water — let’s just have some manners on picking up after ourselves, okay? Sorry I had to bring that up right now.”