Alec Baldwin takes legal action against New Mexico prosecutors, claiming civil rights violations
Alec Baldwin, who had his involuntary manslaughter charges dropped last summer due to hidden evidence, is bringing the tragic “Rust” set shooting back into the courtroom.
Baldwin’s legal complaint asserts that prosecutors and investigators colluded to persuade a baseless indictment against him by bypassing standard legal procedures and intentionally withholding evidence that could exonerate him.
In a response to YSL News, Morrissey stated, “In October 2023, our prosecution team learned about Mr. Baldwin’s intent to pursue this retaliatory civil lawsuit. We look forward to presenting our case in court.”
YSL News has contacted Baldwin’s legal representatives and the district attorney’s office, along with the sheriff’s office for their responses on the matter.
Last summer, Baldwin’s attorney, Alex Spiro, alerted the sheriff’s office and the prosecutor in letters on July 12, urging them to preserve evidence for “potential future litigation,” as noted in documents acquired at that time by YSL News.
His legal counsel advised Morrissey and Sheriff Adan Mendoza to save all forms of communication including “devices, hard drives, emails, text messages, and other electronic communications,” as well as “documents, records, electronically stored information (‘ESI’), and other relevant materials linked to the investigations and/or prosecutions concerning the death of Halyna Hutchins.”
This lawsuit comes six months after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed Baldwin’s criminal case, citing that evidence beneficial to Baldwin’s defense had been concealed by the prosecutors and law enforcement. Although prosecutors contested her decision in November, they retracted their appeal the following month.
Baldwin faced criminal charges following the tragic incident on October 21, 2021, when his prop gun, which he believed was not loaded with live rounds, discharged during a rehearsal, resulting in the death of 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Lawsuit claims ‘No verdict’ can ‘erase the trauma’ from Baldwin’s criminal case
Baldwin’s lawsuit states that New Mexico’s investigators and prosecutors were “blinded by their eagerness to convict Alec Baldwin for improper reasons, and at all costs, for the October 2021 accidental shooting of Halyna Hutchins.”
The lawsuit continues, indicating that “defendants sought to unfairly blame Baldwin for the actions of others, disregarding the law and available evidence.”
Baldwin is requesting a jury trial and seeking financial reparations for his “injuries” along with punitive damages against the defendants.
“The defendants must be held accountable for their malicious and unlawful pursuit of Baldwin,” the lawsuit argues. “Even though no outcome in this civil action can remedy the trauma caused by the State’s threats of prosecution and imprisonment, Alec Baldwin is pursuing this case to hold the defendants accountable for their severe violations of the laws that govern their work.”
What led to the dismissal of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case?
The conclusion of Baldwin’s state case in New Mexico came over two years after the tragic shooting on set. The judge dismissed the charges with prejudice, which prevents the prosecutors from bringing the same charges again.
Baldwin’s legal representatives alleged that Santa Fe sheriffs and state prosecutors “concealed” critical evidence regarding the origin of the bullet that killed Hutchins. Prosecutors and sheriffs maintained that this evidence lacked relevance to Baldwin’s case.
The judge criticized Morrissey and her team, stating that “they have repeatedly failed to share essential evidence with the defendant.”
“The state’s intentional withholding of this information
“This was done on purpose,” Sommer stated. “While this behavior may not completely meet the definition of bad faith, it certainly approaches that threshold and indicates troubling signs.”
New Evidence Surfaces in ‘Rust’ Case
On July 12, attorneys for Baldwin stated that the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office held live rounds that could potentially be tied to the bullet that fatally shot Hutchins but had not included them in the “Rust” investigation evidence list or informed the defense attorneys of their existence.
During testimony on July 11, it was revealed that Troy Teske, a friend of the “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s stepfather, had handed over Colt .45 live rounds to the sheriff’s office on March 6. Baldwin’s legal team argued that this evidence could link the incident to Seth Kenney, the prop provider for the film.
The legal representatives for Baldwin asserted that these rounds were proof the bullet that killed Hutchins originated from Kenney. However, Kenney has denied providing live ammunition to the film and has not been charged in this matter.
Baldwin’s attorneys have pointed fingers at Gutierrez-Reed, who is currently serving 18 months for involuntary manslaughter, and first assistant director Dave Halls for the negligence that resulted in Hutchins’ death. On the other hand, prosecutors have claimed that Baldwin acted carelessly with the weapon, displayed aggressive behavior on set, and modified his narrative to shift blame onto others.
