Many were stunned when all charges against Alec Baldwin were dismissed on Friday after he went on trial for involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie Rust. Now, Baldwin has broken his silence for the first time since this announcement was made.
Baldwin Breaks His Silence
Baldwin, 66, broke down in tears in court on Friday after a judge ruled that there had been “errors in handling” over some of the evidence in his case.
The next day, Baldwin took to Instagram to thank those who have supported him.
The judge threw out the charges against Baldwin after a day-long hearing without the jury present over bullets that should have been in evidence. Baldwin’s attorneys claimed that the bullets were “concealed” from them and “buried” in another case file.
“The state’s discovery violation has injected a needless, incurable delay into the jury trial,” said Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice.”
Related: Judge Makes Huge Ruling In Alec Baldwin Case
Prosecutor Speaks Out
Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, a member of the prosecution team, also responded to the judge dismissing the case.
“As prosecutors we have obligations to disclose all the evidence,” Johnson said. “When I learned this morning of the existence of evidence that had not been disclosed, I believed that the right decision was to dismiss the case.”
“When my voice was not heard, I asked to withdraw from the case,” she later added. “Prosecutors not only owe a duty to the people, but to the defendants accused of crimes as well. The prosecution must always be above reproach.”
Baldwin had previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter. He had been accused of negligence for accidentally firing a live round on the set, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the 26 year-old armorer on the set of Rust, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year. She’s currently serving an 18 month sentence. Indeed, had Baldwin been found guilty, he would have faced the same sentence.
Related: Surprising Twist In Alec Baldwin Trial As Judge Sends Jurors Home
Hutchins’ Family Hits Back
Hutchins’ widower and the father of her son Matthew Hutchins has since spoken out to say that he is still hoping that Baldwin will be held accountable for his actions.
“We respect the court’s decision,” his lawyer Brian J. Parish told Deadline. “We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins.”
This was a reference to the civil case that he is working on for the Hutchins family.
Baldwin may be out of the woods when it comes to facing time behind bars for Hutchins’ death. However, her family is clearly not planning to let him off the hook just yet.
Only time will tell how this turns out for Baldwin in the end.
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