Judge Dismisses Alec Baldwin’s Attempt To Dismiss Manslaughter Case, Setting Up July Trial

A New Mexico judge has rejected a request from Alec Baldwin to dismiss the sole criminal charge against him in connection with the fatal shooting on the set of the movie “Rust,” according to a report from the Associated Press. The ruling means that Baldwin’s trial will remain on track for this summer.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer upheld an indictment charging the actor with one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins in 2021. The judge rejected arguments from Baldwin’s lawyers that prosecutors abused the the rules of grand jury proceedings to conceal exculpatory evidence and witnesses.

Prosecutors have denied allegations that there were issues with the grand jury proceedings and accused Baldwin of “shameless” attempts to escape accountability. Special prosecutors highlighted statements Baldwin has made to law enforcement, on-set safety regulators and in a primetime television news interview.

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According to the AP, Friday’s ruling clears one of the last obstacles standing in the way of an expected July trial. “We look forward to our day in court,” defense attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro told the outlet.

Baldwin’s direct role in the death of Hutchins has long been a point of interest in the case. During a rehearsal on the set of the Western film, Baldwin pointed a handgun at Hutchins when the gun went off. Hutchins was killed while director Jack Souza suffered injuries.

Baldwin has claimed that he did not pull the trigger, though he has admitted that he cocked back the hammer. A firearms expert has disputed Baldwin’s claims, stating that the trigger would have needed to be pulled in order for the gun to fire.

In October, a forensic report concluded that the trigger of the prop Colt .45 revolver had been pulled “sufficiently” enough to cause the gun to fire.

According to the firearms report, which was commissioned by the State of New Mexico: “Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.”

In August 2022, the FBI stated that Baldwin likely pulled the trigger, a claim his lawyer contested. Baldwin has consistently denied pulling the trigger. By April of last year, the charges against Baldwin were dropped.

The actor was hit with additional charges when a grand jury opted to indict Baldwin this past January.

In April, film weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to to the maximum of 1.5 years at a state penitentiary after she was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin faces the same maximum prison sentence if convicted.

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