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Alec Baldwin asks judge to throw out 'Rust' manslaughter case; accuses prosecutors of acting improperly

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Alec Baldwin asks judge to throw out 'Rust' manslaughter case; accuses prosecutors of acting improperly

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Actor Alec Baldwin’s legal team is asking a New Mexico judge to dismiss the indictment against him related to the fatal shooting on the “Rust” movie set, saying prosecutors acted unethically and failed to present crucial evidence to the grand jury.

The attorneys argued that the state has violated “nearly every rule in the book” in an effort to convict Baldwin in the fatal movie set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Oct. 21, 2021.

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“Enough is enough,” the lawyers wrote. “This is an abuse of the system, and an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme,” they wrote in a court filing. 

Baldwin was indicted on two counts – involuntary manslaughter, negligent use of a firearm, or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection – on Jan. 19.

ALEC BALDWIN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN ‘RUST’ INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER CASE

Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set of a Western film “Rust,” killing the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. (News Nation/Jim Weber – Santa Fe New Mexican)

The actor had previously been charged with involuntary manslaughter on Jan. 31, 2023. However, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis dropped the charges in April after coming across “new facts” that required additional review.

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After investigating further, prosecutors convened a grand jury.

Alec Baldwin is set to stand trial on July 9. (Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic)

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Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger of the prop gun that led to Hutchins’ death. At the time, he had been rehearsing a scene featuring a cross-draw that Hutchins wanted to possibly add to the script.

Baldwin is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on the set of “Rust” in Oct. 2021. (Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic/Mat Hayward/Getty Images for AMC Networks)

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“The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger,” Baldwin told George Stephanopoulos in an interview shortly after the fatal shooting. 

“No, no, no, no, I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger. Never.”

WATCH: ALEC BALDWIN’S FIRST WORDS TO DETECTIVES REVEALED AS COPS RELEASE TROVE OF ‘RUST’ FILES

However, the FBI conducted an accidental discharge test and determined the gun used in the fatal shooting of Hutchins “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger,” ABC News reported.

Baldwin has also claimed that he was unaware that the gun was loaded with a live bullet. 

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Baldwin is set to face trial on July 9.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on March 6. (Courtesy: New Mexico Courts)

On March 6, a jury found “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The armorer was responsible for the gun that discharged a live bullet on the Western film set. Hutchins was in the line of fire when Baldwin pulled the gun out of his holster.

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Gutierrez Reed was also found not guilty of evidence tampering, a charge she received in 2023 after investigators accused her of passing off a bag of cocaine on the day of the fatal set shooting.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours at the New Mexico courthouse. After the verdict was read, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ordered Gutierrez Reed be taken into custody, where she will remain until she is sentenced.

Alec Baldwin’s initial involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped in April. (Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department)

“I’m going to remand you,” Sommer told the courtroom. “The reason is you are now convicted, and this is a death.” Gutierrez Reed was immediately taken into custody by deputies and awaits a sentencing date at the court’s convenience.

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She faces up to 18 months in prison, in addition to a $5,000 fine.

Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz and Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

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Southwest

Family of Brianna Aguilera sues over alcohol service ahead of death

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Family of Brianna Aguilera sues over alcohol service ahead of death

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The family of Brianna Aguilera, the Texas A&M student who fell to her death from a high-rise apartment in November, is suing two organizations for allegedly overserving alcohol ahead of the 19-year-old’s death.

Attorney Tony Buzbee on Tuesday announced a $1 million wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Travis County against the Austin Blacks Rugby Club and the UT Economics and Business Association.

“It is illegal to serve minors any amount of alcohol in the State of Texas. It is reckless and irresponsible to grossly over-serve a group of minors at a University of Texas football tailgate to the point where those minors lose their physical faculties and ability to control themselves,” the lawsuit states. 

Aguilera died when she fell from an Austin high-rise apartment following a Texas A&M vs. University of Texas football tailgate at around 1 a.m. Nov. 29, according to police.

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POLICE SHOULD BE TAKING ‘CLOSER LOOK’ AT COLLEGE STUDENT’S DEATH AFTER MOTHER’S ALLEGATIONS: FORMER PROSECUTOR

An image provided by the family of the young Texas A&M student, Brianna Aguilera, found dead in Austin over the weekend. (GoFundMe)

A police investigation later determined Aguilera died by suicide despite her family’s claims that she was killed.

Brianna Aguilera was found dead in an apartment hours after attending a tailgate party. (Facebook/Brie Aguilera)

According to the filing, the alleged “egregious over-serving of minors” led to Aguilera’s death. Witnesses described her behavior over several hours as “shifting from upbeat to disoriented and ultimately grossly intoxicated,” the suit says.

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Brianna Aguilera holds a sign congratulating her on her acceptance to Texas A&M. (Instagram/brie.aguilera)

TEXAS A&M STUDENT BRIANNA AGUILERA’S FALL DEATH SPARKS POLICE RESPONSE TO FAMILY’S EXPLOSIVE CLAIMS: REPORT

Buzbee said the lawsuit is also intended to support the ongoing investigation into the events of that night by allowing the firm to seek phone and text records, documents and data and to compel witness testimony.

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The lawsuit requests a jury trial.

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Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.

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Key red state could decide US gas prices as Venezuelan oil hits the market

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Key red state could decide US gas prices as Venezuelan oil hits the market

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Nobody handles oil quite like Texas and a fresh supply of Venezuelan crude could soon be headed to the Lone Star State’s coast.

The first barrels of thick, tar-like crude could arrive as soon as next week at ports across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, where dense clusters of refineries are built and bred to process heavy oil.

The development follows President Donald Trump’s Tuesday evening announcement that Caracas will transfer up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., worth about $2.8 billion at current market prices. 

WE’RE GOING TO LET THE OIL FLOW: ENERGY SECRETARY SAYS US WILL OVERSEE VENEZUELAN OIL SALES

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Venezuelan children swimming near an oil tanker docked at a pier near the refinery of the state oil company PDVSA. (Jesus Vargas/picture alliance/Getty Images)

“The Gulf Coast concentrates most of our refining capacity, and those refineries were built or revamped over the years to process extra-heavy crude similar to what is produced in Venezuela,” explained Jaime Brito, executive director of refining and oil products at OPIS.

“From a market perspective, additional volumes of extra-heavy crude entering the U.S. refining system would be an extraordinarily positive development,” Brito said. “It would allow refiners to operate more efficiently, something they haven’t been able to do for years and could help keep gasoline and diesel prices at better levels because refiners would have access to cheaper crude and more optimal operations.”

‘WE BUILT VENEZUELA’S OIL INDUSTRY:’ TRUMP VOWS US ENERGY RETURN AFTER MADURO CAPTURE

He added that tankers could arrive within five to six days if they leave Venezuelan waters on Thursday.

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Because Gulf Coast refineries supply a large share of the nation’s fuel, shifts in how efficiently they operate can ultimately ripple through to prices paid by U.S. consumers.

Texas oil refineries are poised to benefit from additional crude oil supplies. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The arrival of 15 to 25 oil tankers carrying up to 50 million barrels of crude is only a fraction of what Venezuela could ultimately supply.

With more than 300 billion barrels of proven reserves, it holds the world’s largest oil endowment — eclipsing long-standing energy heavyweights like Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait.

Despite its vast reserves, U.S. sanctions have effectively blocked most Venezuelan crude from reaching the U.S. Gulf Coast, leaving Chevron — operating under a special authorization — as the sole exporter of limited volumes.

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US NOW IN CONTROL OF VENEZUELA’S OIL RESERVES, THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD

A Chevron Corp. flag flies on the drilling floor of a Nabors Industries Ltd. drill rig in the Permian Basin near Midland, Texas, on March 1, 2018. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

That disruption has been felt most acutely in Texas, which anchors the nation’s refining hub and hosts several of the country’s largest heavy-crude refineries.

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A renewed flow of Venezuelan barrels could also intensify competition in the heavy-crude market, particularly between Venezuela and Canada, Brito said.

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“You’re going to have fierce competition between Canada and Venezuela, which benefits American refiners and gives them more flexibility to potentially lower fuel prices,” he said, adding that he was speaking strictly from an oil-market perspective.

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Security guard fatally shot outside Houston restaurant after confrontation with suspect

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Security guard fatally shot outside Houston restaurant after confrontation with suspect

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A security guard was fatally shot outside a Houston restaurant Wednesday evening after a confrontation with another man, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 6:15 p.m. outside Connie’s Seafood Market Restaurant, the Houston Police Department said.

Police told reporters that the security guard, who was working for the restaurant, was standing in the parking lot when a fight broke out between him and another man, FOX26 Houston reported.

Police said the security guard was shot at least once. He was rushed to a hospital where he later died.

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OFF-DUTY DEPUTY SHOT AND KILLED WHILE WORKING SECURITY JOB IN TEXAS, SUSPECT REMAINS AT LARGE

A security guard was fatally shot outside a Houston restaurant Wednesday evening after a confrontation with another man, authorities said. (Houston Police Department)

Authorities did not immediately release the name of the victim.

The suspect was last seen running away from the parking lot after the shooting.

The security guard was working for the restaurant at the time of the shooting. (Google Maps)

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BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTER CONFESSED IN VIDEOS TO PLANNING ATTACK FOR LONG TIME, SHOWED NO REMORSE: DOJ

No details about the suspect or the circumstances that led to the altercation have been released as of Thursday morning.

Houston police were reviewing surveillance footage as they search for the shooting suspect. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle, File)

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Officials said investigators were reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses to get a description of the suspect.

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