A judge dismissed Alec Baldwin’s Rust manslaughter case on Friday July 12 after his lawyers accused prosecutors and cops of engaging in a “cover-up” to hide evidence that could help him. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice, so Baldwin cannot be retried. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice,” Sommer said.
“The motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.” The trial against Baldwin started veering toward chaos on Thursday July 11 when a prosecution witness revealed on cross-examination that someone had come forward with evidence about the ammunition related to the production. This was not disclosed to his lawyers before his trial.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. His lawyers had claimed that the evidence could have provided answers to how live ammunition wound up on set. Baldwin has contended that he was told the “gun” was cold while rehearsing the scene where Hutchins was struck with a bullet.
When Judge Sommer issued her decision Friday afternoon after hearing testimony about the evidence, Baldwin broke into tears. The evidence that hadn’t been disclosed surfaced when crime-scene tech Marissa Poppell was on the stand. She revealed that Troy Teske, a retired police officer from Arizona, had “delivered a collection of live ammunition” to the Santa Fe sheriff’s depart.
