Southwest
Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting: Prosecution beefs up ahead of involuntary manslaughter trial
The prosecution in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case added a new special prosecutor to the mix.
Mary Carmack-Altwies appointed Erlinda Johnson to help out special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis beginning April 12, according to court documents filed April 16.
“Erlinda will be joining me,” Morrissey confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Johnson is a personal injury, wrongful death and civil rights attorney in New Mexico. The lawyer has also spoken to multiple outlets regarding Baldwin’s case, giving her opinion on whether the actor would face charges.
ALEC BALDWIN ‘RUST’ SHOOTING TRIAL: EXPERTS WARN ARMORER’S MAXIMUM SENTENCE IS OMINOUS SIGN FOR ACTOR
A new prosecutor was added to the team Alec Baldwin will face in court for his involuntary manslaughter trial. (Jim Spellman)
“Whoever handles the firearm has a duty to check it for any live rounds,” Johnson told People magazine in 2021. On top of criminal liability, “there’s a lot of civil liability here. It’s going to be a nightmare for [people involved with the movie].”
A representative for Baldwin did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Baldwin will head to court in July for the involuntary manslaughter trial. Jury selection will begin July 9, according to New Mexico Courts. The trial is expected to last until July 19.
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Alec Baldwin sitting in the church where Hutchins was killed in outtakes from the “Rust” production used during Hannah Gutierrez Reed’s trial. (CourtTv)
Baldwin was indicted on two counts – involuntary manslaughter, negligent use of a firearm, or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection – Jan. 19. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died Oct. 21, 2021, after a gun Baldwin was holding fired on the set of “Rust.”
The “30 Rock” star’s legal team filed to have the indictment dismissed in documents obtained by Fox News Digital. The motion to dismiss argued the prosecution acted unethically and failed to present crucial evidence to a grand jury.
“Enough is enough,” the court documents stated. “This is an abuse of the system, and an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme.”
WATCH: ‘RUST’ MOVIE VIDEO SHOWS ALEC BALDWIN PRACTICING CROSS DRAW BEFORE HALYNA HUTCHINS’ DEATH
The prosecution called out Baldwin’s legal team for lying and manipulation after the actor requested the court dismiss his indictment.
“The defendant’s motion to dismiss is predictably false, misleading, and histrionic misrepresentation of the facts and circumstances of the history of the case,” the prosecution’s filing, obtained by Fox News Digital, said.
“The two special prosecutors who have been assigned the prosecution of Mr. Baldwin have experienced near countless lies and manipulation from the defense for more than one year.
Alec Baldwin and the cast of “Rust” finished filming the movie years after the death of Halyna Hutchins. (Reuters)
“In addition, we have, and certainly will continue to be, the subject of the defendant’s contrived and unwarranted personal attacks.”
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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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