Alec Baldwin takes legal action to prevent the reopening of the dismissed 'Rust' shooting case.
According to Deadline, Alec Baldwin's legal team filed a response on Friday in New Mexico state court, opposing Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey's attempt to have the involuntary manslaughter case reconsidered.
The case, which was dismissed in July, stemmed from the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of 'Rust' in 2021.
Baldwin's attorneys, led by Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas, argue that there is no basis for reconsidering the court's decision to dismiss the case. They criticize Morrissey's conduct, accusing her of violating disclosure obligations and mishandling evidence.
In their filing, Baldwin's lawyers did not mince words when addressing Morrissey's request. They described her attempt to blame Baldwin for the state's own misconduct as "backwards" and "conceited."
The attorneys stated: "No basis exists to reconsider the Court's decision. But here comes Kari Morrissey." This sharp criticism highlights the contentious nature of the legal battle surrounding the 'Rust' shooting case.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer had already rejected Morrissey's initial 52-page request to reopen the case, citing it as too long. The judge's previous comments suggest that she is not inclined to entertain the prosecutor's attempts to revive the case.
On September 6, Judge Sommer remarked that "a winning argument can fit within the limitations of the rule," referring to Morrissey's over-the-page-limit argument. The judge had previously dismissed the case "with prejudice" on July 12, meaning it cannot be filed again.
The dismissal came after a rocky evidentiary hearing revealed that bullets handed over to the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office had not been seen by Baldwin's lawyers, which the judge deemed "egregious" conduct by the prosecution.
While the criminal case against Baldwin has been dismissed, the actor still faces nearly a dozen civil suits related to the 'Rust' tragedy. The incident occurred on October 21, 2021, when a live round was fired from a Colt .45 Baldwin was holding during a rehearsal, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for 'Rust,' is currently appealing her own conviction and 18-month prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter.
She has a hearing scheduled for September 26 that could potentially lead to her immediate release if Judge Sommer agrees that the suppression of evidence also tainted her case.
In conclusion, Alec Baldwin's legal team is actively working to prevent the reopening of the 'Rust' shooting case, criticizing the prosecutor's efforts as baseless. The judge's previous dismissal of the case and rejection of the prosecutor's requests suggest a low likelihood of the case being reconsidered. Meanwhile, related civil suits and the armorer's appeal continue to unfold in the aftermath of the tragic incident on the 'Rust' set.
