Criminal defense attorney Brian Claypool joins "Fox News Live" to discuss the dismissal of Alec Baldwin's "Rust" manslaughter case and the revelation that key evidence was withheld by the prosecution.
In a dramatic turn of events, Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter case for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was dismissed on Friday. The dismissal came after it was revealed that prosecutors had withheld key evidence from the defense, leading Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer to rule that they had been "intentional and deliberate" in their actions.
Baldwin, 66, sobbed at the witness table and embraced his wife, Hilaria, after the judge's ruling. He had faced the prospect of up to 18 months in prison.
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
The trial's fourth day opened with defense attorney Luke Nikas accusing the state of concealing evidence that live ammunition found on the set of "Rust" may have come from prop supplier Seth Kenney. Despite the gravity of the claims, lead prosecutor Kari Morrissey refused to drop the case prior to Friday's session.
However, special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson abruptly resigned before the hearing on whether to dismiss the case. "I told her to dismiss it. The evidence should have been turned over," Johnson told Fox News Digital.
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
The evidence that ultimately undermined the case emerged shortly after armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed's conviction in March for the same charge Baldwin was facing. She had accidentally loaded a live round into the revolver Baldwin fired on set on October 21, 2021, which killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Retired police officer Troy Teske, a family friend of Gutierrez Reed's father, walked into the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and delivered a collection of rounds that he said came from Kenney and matched the bullet that killed Hutchins.
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
During Friday's hearing, it was revealed that Teske had never been interviewed and that Morrissey, in consultation with the lead investigators, had decided not to inventory the evidence in the "Rust" file. As a result, the information was never given to the defense.
In a desperate bid to salvage the case, Morrissey called herself as a witness and insisted that the evidence was not relevant. However, under cross-examination by defense attorney Alex Spiro, Morrissey contradicted her previous statements and admitted that she had been aware of Teske's evidence drop prior to the dismissal hearing.
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
Spiro also questioned Morrissey's bias against Baldwin, suggesting that she had referred to him as an "arrogant prick" and other derogatory terms during witness interviews. Morrissey denied making those comments.
After the judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning prosecutors cannot charge Baldwin again, Morrissey spoke to the media outside the courthouse. "I'm disappointed because I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys, but I have to respect the court's decision," she said.
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
The stunning blow to the prosecution team, which had been working on the case for more than three years, arrived after the state had called only seven witnesses. Defense attorney Brian Claypool, who joined "Fox News Live" to discuss the outcome, said that Baldwin's case dismissal was "like winning the lottery."
"It's very rare that a case like this gets dismissed before it even goes to the jury," Claypool said. "The prosecution made a series of mistakes, and it cost them the case."
Alec Baldwin's Manslaughter Case Dismissed, "Like Winning the Lottery
