Alec Baldwin trial dismissed over bullet evidence

Actor Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial, prompted by the fatal 2022 shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has been dismissed.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer made the decision Friday during an evidentiary hearing over a defense motion to dismiss. The judge slammed prosecutors for not turning over a relevant batch of bullets to the defense that were given to investigators in March.

Baldwin was in the courtroom as the judge made her ruling and the actor broke down in tears, seemingly having avoided facing up to 18 months in prison if he had been found guilty.

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers plan to file a motion for her release. She had been already convicted of the same charge Baldwin was facing and is incarcerated.

Prosecutor Kari Morrissey justified the decision not to disclose the ammunition on the stand.

“I could see it was not at all similar to the live rounds on the set of Rust, so I made the decision not to collect the rounds since they had never left Arizona,” Morrissey told the court on the record.

A defense lawyer had previously accused her of not liking Baldwin and calling him names. Morrissey disagreed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Morrissey replied, insisting that she likes a number of Baldwin’s movies, Saturday Night Live appearances, and “his politics.”

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Hutchins was fatally shot and Rust director Joel Souza was injured on Oct. 21, 2021, after the Colt .45 Baldwin was pointing at the cinematographer fired off a live round during a rehearsal.

Baldwin is famous for his work as an actor and a comedian. Most people in the political sphere know him for his impression of former President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live.