The American actor is going on a legal crusade against the New Mexico prosecutor, who faced him during the high-profile trial into the accidental death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021.
The sixty-year-old believes he was the victim of defamation during the proceedings opened against him for “involuntary manslaughter”, which were finally canceled in July.
“The defense sought at all times to make him a scapegoat for the acts and omissions of others, without regard to the evidence or the law,” says the complaint relayed by the American press.
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Alec Baldwin shot fatally while filming a western
He took the time to prepare his counterattack. Six months after the cancellation of his trial for manslaughter, Alec Baldwin intends to obtain compensation. The 66-year-old American actor filed a complaint against certain members of the New Mexico administration. Targeted include special prosecutor Kari Morissey, local prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies as well as Sante Fe County sheriff’s deputies whom he accuses of “abusive prosecution and defamation”.
The only gunsmith convicted in this case
Alec Baldwin was at the heart of a case that shook Hollywood, finding himself in the dock after the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of the western Rust in 2021. She succumbed to her injuries after a shot from the actor when the weapon was only supposed to contain blank bullets. The investigation never established how these real projectiles, absolutely prohibited on a film set, could have ended up in the barrel.
Throughout the trial, the star’s lawyers pointed the finger at the role of the police, who according to them “buried” evidence to explain the tragedy. They notably mentioned a batch of bullets given to the sheriff which had never been transmitted to the defense. Sentenced to 18 months in prison, gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed tried to have her conviction overturned. Without success.
“Loss of income”, “severe emotional distress” and “embarrassment”
In the complaint filed this Thursday relayed by the Los Angeles Times (new window)Alec Baldwin’s legal representatives assure that the defense has been “blinded by their desire to condemn him for all the wrong reasons, and at any cost”. Elle “sought at all times to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, without regard to evidence or the law”insists the 73-page text. The star says “suffer and continue to suffer significant past and future harm”speaking of “legal costs” engaged,“loss of income, severe emotional distress, mental anguish and embarrassment.”
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Fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust”: Alec Baldwin will not be retried
Rust ended up hitting theaters late last year. A regular guest on the sketch show “Saturday Night Live,” Alec Baldwin has appeared in about ten minor projects since the drama and has seven more projects coming according to his IMDb listing. Considering that his rights have been “scorned”he is seeking damages, the amount of which has not been communicated.
