Judge rejects Alec Baldwin’s bid to dismiss criminal charge against him in ‘Rust’ shooting

SANTA FE, N.M. — A judge in New Mexico has rejected Alec Baldwin’s request to dismiss a criminal charge against him related to the deadly shooting that took place in 2021 on the set of “Rust.”

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Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer upheld the involuntary manslaughter charge Friday against Baldwin in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer for “Rust,” The Associated Press reported.

Attorneys for Baldwin accused prosecutors of misconduct. According to CNN, they believe that misconduct happened during the grand jury process and wanted to get the case dismissed.

In January, an indictment was filed against Baldwin, the AP reported. He was holding a .45 caliber revolver when it fired a shot on Oct. 21, 2021, that struck Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

He has pleaded not guilty. According to the AP, if he is convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 1.5 years in prison.

Baldwin argued that he was not responsible for Hutchins’s death because he did not know that there was a live round in the gun. According to The New York Times, he also said that he did not pull the trigger.

There are other motions that have been filed by Judge Sommer but hasn’t ruled on those yet, according to the Times.

Alec Baldwin files motion to dismiss charges against him in ‘Rust’ shooting

Baldwin’s trial is set to start in New Mexico on July 10, Reuters reported.

In a court filing that was made public on April 8, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said Baldwin showed a “complete lack of concern for the safety of those around him” which, when combined with the negligence and inexperience of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, “would prove deadly for Halyna Hutchins.”

Alec Baldwin created unsafe environment on ‘Rust’ set, prosecutors say

On March 6, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, was found guilty Hutchins’ death, on the film set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe, Variety reported. The jury in Santa Fe deliberated for 2 1/2 hours.

Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted of an additional charge of tampering with evidence. She faces up to 18 months in prison for her role in the death of Hutchins, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Gutierrez-Reed was the armorer on the “Rust” film.

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