Hollywood star Alec Baldwin sues prosecutors who tried to get him jailed over fatal movie set shooting

The fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western film Rust has led to the filing of Alec Baldwin’s civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations.

He alleges that prosecutors purposefully “seek at every turn to scapegoat” him to “maliciously bring about or advance” the US actor’s trial and conviction by concealing evidence that would absolve him of guilt. It claims that Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Kari Morrissey were “blinded by their desire to convict Baldwin for all the wrong reasons.”

Despite the available evidence and the law, defendants “were constantly looking to scapegoat Baldwin for the actions and omissions of others.” Additionally, it states that the actor was targeted by prosecutors and investigators for political or professional gain.

Halyna Hutchins passed away shortly after being hurt during a film-set ranch rehearsal in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in October 2021.

When the gun went off, the 66-year-old actor shot the director, killing her and injuring director Joel Souza.

In a statement, Ms Morrissey said: “In October 2023, the prosecution team became aware that Mr Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit. Our court appearance is on schedule.

Less than a month after Ms. Morrissey withdrew an appeal against the court’s decision to dismiss a Baldwin involuntary manslaughter charge, the lawsuit was filed.

Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the film, was pointing a gun when the revolver went off, killing the cinematographer and wounding Souza. A judge upheld the actor’s involuntary manslaughter trial in July after ruling that it was improper for the prosecution and the police to withhold ammunition from the defense.

In a joint statement, Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro stated in a joint statement that “crimininal prosecutions are supposed to be about the pursuit of truth and justice, not for the purpose of harassing the innocent.”

” Kari Morrissey and the other defendants violated that basic principle, over and over, and trampled on Alec Baldwin’s rights. We file this lawsuit to hold the defendants accountable for their deeds and stop them from abusing anyone else.

Representatives for Ms Carmack-Altwies have been contacted for comment.

In March, the movie’s weapons manager was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. Hannah Gutierrez Reed received an 18-month prison sentence.

At the trial in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico, the 25-year-old had entered a not-guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering at the time of the shooting, which was her second feature film as an armourer.
But a jury found her guilty,

According to the prosecution, Gutierrez-Reed allegedly brought live ammunition on Rust’s set without permission at a ranch near Santa Fe, where rounds allegedly remained for at least 12 days before the shooting.

Source: Mirror