On Monday, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey announced that she had withdrawn her appeal of a judge’s decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin.
The move followed a statement from the state attorney general’s office, which expressed that it would not pursue the appeal further on behalf of the prosecution.
Baldwin had been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust” in October 2021.
The prosecution had aimed to prove that Baldwin acted recklessly when he fired a Colt .45 during a scene rehearsal, leading to Hutchins’ death. However, the judge dismissed the case mid-trial after discovering that the prosecution had failed to provide crucial evidence—bullets—that could have been beneficial for the defense. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer criticized the handling of the case, calling it “near to bad faith.”
Baldwin’s defense team argued that the prosecution had intentionally withheld the evidence, and that Baldwin, as an actor, could not be held responsible for gun safety on set.
After the case was dismissed, Morrissey contended that the judge was misled by the defense and that the missing bullets were not relevant to the case. She filed an appeal last month, but the attorney general’s office was not committed to aggressively pursuing the case.
With the decision to drop the appeal, Baldwin’s attorneys hailed the ruling, asserting that Baldwin had committed no crime and that the law had been upheld in New Mexico. Meanwhile, Hutchins’ family, based in Ukraine, continues to pursue a civil case against Baldwin and the producers of “Rust” in New Mexico.
Morrissey expressed regret that Baldwin would not face criminal accountability but hoped that the ongoing lawsuits would bring justice to Hutchins’ family.
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies praised Morrissey’s efforts in securing a conviction for the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who is serving an 18-month sentence for involuntary manslaughter.
The case has sparked ongoing discussions about safety protocols in the film industry, particularly regarding firearms and live ammunition on set, prompting the Hutchins family to establish the Halyna Hutchins Foundation to advocate for safer practices.
