Alec Baldwin looks to dismiss manslaughter case once more
The lawyers representing actor Alec Baldwin for his manslaughter case following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust have filed two more motions, requesting that the court dismiss the trial on the grounds that the case is unfair.
The actor is set to go to trial in July for allegedly pulling the trigger of the firearm that resulted in Hutchins’ death, an act that he vehemently denies doing. The movie’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, recently received an 18-month sentence for unknowingly loading the gun with live bullets.
Baldwin’s latest motion claims that the charge is not legally fair after the FBI broke the gun while testing it, resulting in its use as evidence becoming redundant.
The actor also claims he did not pull the trigger, adding that the FBI’s “inexplicable” actions have made it impossible for his lawyers to form a case based on his claim, citing deprivation of the defense by taking “potentially useful evidence” and “destroying it.”
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey also recently claimed that the actor’s plea deal of a misdemeanour should be re-examined following his involvement in a documentary about the shooting.
In a statement, Baldwin’s lawyers claimed that the actor had no part in the documentary, stating, “Morrissey’s stated reasons for pursuing an indictment are completely divorced from the public interest and reflect a stunning abuse of prosecutorial power. He has no title or credit in either documentary.”
Continuing: “He’s not a producer and has no control, of any kind, over either documentary. In both documentaries, Baldwin is only a subject, along with other members of the cast and crew.”
While it has yet to be confirmed whether the court will dismiss Baldwin’s indictment, the trial is still scheduled to begin as originally stated. The actor was instructed not to leave the country, or carry another firearm, ahead of the trial.
If convicted, Baldwin faces up to eight months in prison for involuntary manslaughter. He strongly denies any wrongdoing.
This is a developing story.
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