Actor Alec Baldwin finally breathed a huge sigh of relief and understandably, his emotions were running high when he was recently seated for what was supposed to be the last hearing in the ‘Rust’ case.
For the uninitiated, this was in context to an incident that happened when Baldwin was shooting for the film, Rust.
In October 2021, during a rehearsal, Baldwin was pointing a gun at Halyna Hutchins when it discharged, resulting in her death and injuring the film’s director.
Hannah Gutierrez, the film’s armorer who loaded the gun, is already serving an 18-month sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin faced the same charge, with prosecutors accusing him of neglecting basic gun safety protocols and acting recklessly on set.
Baldwin’s attorney, Alex Spiro, argued that Baldwin was not responsible for inspecting the weapon and was unaware it contained live ammunition.
The defense also focused on challenging the police investigation’s integrity. On Thursday, Spiro presented evidence suggesting that live bullets connected to the incident had been given to the police but were not disclosed to Baldwin’s legal team.
Legal experts believe Baldwin is unlikely to face further criminal charges over the shooting, although civil lawsuits remain a possibility.
“Regarding the criminal case, it’s concluded. Refiling isn’t an option,” stated Los Angeles attorney Tre Lovell.
“The dismissal was with prejudice. Attempting to pursue it again would constitute double jeopardy, which is prohibited.”
Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, concurred, saying, “On the criminal front, I believe it’s over.”
Upon hearing this historic statement, Alex Baldwin couldn’t help but break down upon hearing the judgement, maybe in relief.