US judge dismisses manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin

Actor Alec Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter was abruptly dismissed by a judge on July 12 after she ruled that key evidence over a fatal shooting on the set of the movie Rust had been withheld from the defence.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, presiding over the trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said bullets potentially linked to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins that could have been favourable to Baldwin’s case had not been shared with his lawyers by police and prosecutors.

The Hollywood A-lister immediately burst into tears, as the case – which could have seen him sentenced to 18 months in prison if found guilty – was abruptly tossed out in sensational scenes.

“The state’s wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate. If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith as to show signs of scorching prejudice,” said Judge Sommer.

“The court concludes that this conduct is highly prejudicial to the defendant.”

Baldwin was holding a gun in the direction of Ms Hutchins during a rehearsal in October 2021 when the weapon fired, killing Ms Hutchins and wounding the film’s director.