Alec Baldwin speaks out after Rust shooting trial dismissal

After his release, Baldwin finally speaks up regarding the case

Alec Baldwin has broken his silence following the dismissal of his involuntary manslaughter trial in connection to the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."

On July 13, Baldwin took to Instagram to express his gratitude for the support he has received. "There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now," he wrote. "To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family."

The trial was dismissed with prejudice on July 12 by a New Mexico judge after Baldwin's legal team accused the prosecution of hiding evidence. This decision means the case cannot be refiled.

The dismissal follows the conviction of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter four months earlier. Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys filed a notice of appeal in May, according to court records.

During Baldwin's trial, crime scene technician Marissa Poppell testified that former Arizona police officer Troy Teske, a friend of Gutierrez-Reed’s father, Thell Reed, had provided her with live rounds related to the Rust case after Gutierrez-Reed's verdict. Poppell testified that she logged the ammunition under a different case number as a "supplemental report" but denied claims from Baldwin's legal team that it was done to conceal the evidence. Prosecutors also denied intentionally hiding evidence.

 

Baldwin's attorneys argued that they were never informed about the ammunition Teske provided and claimed that this information would have been favorable to Baldwin's defense. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer agreed, stating, "The state's discovery violation has injected a needless, incurable delay into the jury trial. Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice."

Following the ruling, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told E! News, “I respect Judge Marlowe Sommer’s decision. This has been a difficult case from the beginning. Our focus was always to bring justice to Halyna Hutchins and her family.”

Special prosecutor Erlinda Johnson, who resigned from the case earlier in the day, also commented on her decision to step away. "As prosecutors, we have obligations to disclose all the evidence," Johnson said in a statement. "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. 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."