Southwest
Alec Baldwin asks judge to throw out 'Rust' manslaughter case; accuses prosecutors of acting improperly
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.
“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.
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)
“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.
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.
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.
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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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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