In a courtroom filled with tension, Alec Baldwin broke down in tears and embraced his wife after the unexpected dismissal of his involuntary manslaughter case.

The judge in Santa Fe, New Mexico, ruled that the prosecution had mishandled evidence, affecting the fairness of the trial.

The dismissal followed a lengthy hearing focusing on bullets that should have been part of the evidence.

Baldwin’s legal team argued that these bullets had been hidden in another case file, a claim that disrupted the entire trial.

Baldwin, who is 66, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Matthew Hutchins, husband of the late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, acknowledged the court’s decision but expressed hope that the case against Baldwin was not over.

He emphasized the need to present all evidence to a jury and hold Baldwin accountable for his actions in the tragic incident on the “Rust” movie set in October 2021.

Baldwin was accused of negligence for accidentally firing a live round that killed Halyna Hutchins during filming.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set, was previously found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in jail, a fate Baldwin could have faced if convicted.

Following the case dismissal, Baldwin’s brother, Stephen Baldwin, posted a cryptic religious message on Instagram, alluding to the judgment and condemnation of the court system.

The hearing on Friday was marked by intense and chaotic moments.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer examined the bullets herself, wearing gloves.

Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, explained that the bullets were brought to police by a former officer, Troy Teske, who claimed they were similar to those used in the shooting of Hutchins.

Prosecutors Under Scrutiny

Nikas accused the prosecution of burying the bullets by assigning them a different case number, which violated evidentiary rules.

Just before the judge’s ruling, special prosecutor Erlina Johnson resigned from the case.

Judge Sommer described the dismissal with prejudice as an extreme measure but justified it by citing the prosecution’s intentional suppression of evidence.

She criticized the prosecution for their errors and deliberate withholding of information, which compromised the fairness of the case.

Prosecution’s Argument

Prosecutor Kari Morrissey argued that they were skeptical of Teske’s evidence due to his close relationship with Gutierrez-Reed’s father.

Morrissey claimed that Teske was attempting to mislead them to protect his friend’s daughter. She also defended her decision not to further analyze the bullets offered by Teske, as they did not match the live rounds found on the set.

Tensions in the Courtroom

The hearing became heated after the case was dismissed.

Baldwin’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, challenged Morrissey on her alleged bias against Baldwin, which she denied.

Morrissey insisted she appreciated Baldwin’s work and politics, denying accusations of derogatory remarks and asserting her efforts to resolve the case favorably for Baldwin.

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