Alec Baldwin’s Rust Manslaughter Trial Ends in Dismissal

Photo: Photo by Ramsay de Give-Pool./Getty Images

A judge dismissed Alec Baldwin’s Rust manslaughter case on Friday July 12 after his lawyers accused prosecutors and cops of engaging in a “cover-up” to hide evidence that could help him. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice, so Baldwin cannot be retried. “Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice,” Sommer said. “The motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.” 

The trial against Baldwin started veering toward chaos on Thursday July 11 when a prosecution witness revealed on cross-examination that someone had come forward with evidence about the ammunition related to the production. This was not disclosed to his lawyers before his trial.

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. His lawyers had claimed that the evidence could have provided answers to how live ammunition wound up on set. Baldwin has contended that he was told the “gun” was cold while rehearsing the scene where Hutchins was struck with a bullet.

When Judge Sommer issued her decision Friday afternoon after hearing testimony about the evidence, Baldwin broke into tears.

The evidence that hadn’t been disclosed surfaced when crime-scene tech Marissa Poppell was on the stand. She revealed that Troy Teske, a retired police officer from Arizona, had “delivered a collection of live ammunition” to the Santa Fe sheriff’s department in March 2024, telling them that it was evidence in the case. Baldwin’s lawyers claimed that the type of live ammunition matched “the live bullet that killed Hutchins.”

Teske brought police the ammo while manslaughter proceedings against Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were unfolding. Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on March 6, 2024, in Hutchins’s death.

Baldwin’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss on July 11, and the issues in their argument were meted out in court. The proceedings, which were outside the presence of jurors, included testimony from Rust arms provider Seth Kenney and law-enforcement officers on the case. In a shocking move, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey called herself to testify.

“The court concludes that this conduct is highly prejudicial to the defendant,” Sommer said. “The jury has been sworn; jeopardy is attached. This disclosure during the course of trial is so late that it undermines the defense preparation for trial.”

“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” Sommer said. Based on what she heard, there was no other remedy but to throw out the case.

After the proceeding, Morrissey told reporters that her office was proud to have brought the case, despite its ultimate outcome. “We disagree with the court’s decision, but we have to respect it.”