Alec Baldwin sues for malicious prosecution following ‘Rust’ manslaughter trial

Alec Baldwin has filed a lawsuit against the district attorney and other Santa Fe officials, alleging prosecutors “sought at every turn to scapegoat” him.

It’s the latest in a series of legal disputes that followed the actor’s involvement in a fatal on-set incident. On October 21, 2021, Baldwin discharged a revolver used as a prop and was unaware that it had been improperly loaded with live ammunition, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

In a 2023 trial, the 30 Rock actor was charged with involuntary manslaughter in a case which was then dropped and was tried again in 2024.

The prosecution intended to show that Baldwin was reckless and criminally negligent when he fired the revolver, but the case was dismissed with prejudice after Baldwin’s lawyers revealed that the prosecution and the local sheriffs had concealed a cache of bullets that was considered evidence. Consequently, the case against the actor was dismissed last July.

Alec Baldwin with his attorney Alex Spiro upon the announcement of the judge’s ruling. CREDIT: Ramsay de Give-Pool/Getty Images

Meanwhile, armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced to 18 months in prison the following month.

Late last year, New Mexico prosecutors decided not to pursue an appeal of the court’s decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against him. At the time, Baldwin’s lawyers, Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas, praised the decision, calling it “the final vindication”.

Now, the actor has filed a lawsuit against parties involved in pursuing criminal charges against him, including special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations.

Alec Baldwin on December 6 2022 in New York City. CREDIT: Getty/Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala

Per Variety, the 73-page complaint alleges investigators elicited false testimony and withheld exculpatory evidence. The suit claims prosecutors were “blinded by their desire to convict [Baldwin] for all the wrong reasons.”

“Criminal prosecutions are supposed to be about the search for truth and justice, not to pursue personal or political gain or harass the innocent,” Spiro and Luke Nikas said in a statement to the publication.

“Kari Morrissey and the other defendants violated that basic principle, over and over, and trampled on Alec Baldwin’s rights. We bring this action to hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to prevent them from doing this to anyone else.”

Morrissey said, via Variety: “In October 2023 the prosecution team became aware that Mr. Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit. We look forward to our day in court.”

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