Alec Baldwin's lawyers accuse prosecution of "abuse of power" in Rust case

Santa Fe, New Mexico - Lawyers for Alec Baldwin have accused the state of a "stunning abuse of prosecutorial power" as they urge the court to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor.

Alec Baldwin's lawyers have accused the state of a "stunning abuse of prosecutorial power" as they urge the court to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor.
Alec Baldwin's lawyers have accused the state of a "stunning abuse of prosecutorial power" as they urge the court to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor.  © John Lamparski / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Baldwin is set to face a trial scheduled in July in Santa Fe, New Mexico, following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the western film set of Rust in October 2021 – after a prop gun held by Baldwin went off.

Baldwin will face a maximum of 18 months in prison if convicted after trial.

This was the sentence Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was given last week after she was found guilty by a jury on the same charge.

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In March, Baldwin's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case, alleging violations of court orders and other legal faults by the prosecution in the grand jury process.

The actor's legal team – led by Luke Nikas – has now filed new papers supporting their views after the prosecution filed counterclaims.

His lawyers have alleged that the prosecution's reasonings for pursuing an indictment "are completely divorced from the public interest and reflect a stunning abuse of prosecutorial power."

Alec Baldwin to go on trial in July over involuntary manslaughter charges

Alec Baldwin will face a maximum of 18 months in prison if he is convicted in his involuntary manslaughter trial.
Alec Baldwin will face a maximum of 18 months in prison if he is convicted in his involuntary manslaughter trial.  © REUTERS

"The State's response to Baldwin's motion consists almost entirely of irrelevant, false, unsupported, and highly prejudicial statements that serve no legitimate purpose," the new motion stated.

It also argues that a misdemeanor plea offer, which would carry no prison time for Baldwin, was withdrawn last year due to the prosecution's "mistaken assumption" that the actor had commissioned a documentary film about Rust and sought to interview witnesses.

Baldwin's lawyers claim that the information that led to the prosecution rescinding the plea offer was "inaccurate."

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"Baldwin never commissioned a documentary about Rust or Hutchins' death," the new documents state.

In their initial response, the prosecution claimed Baldwin's lawyers had lied and misled the court and insisted Baldwin should stand trial for his role in Hutchins' death.

The prosecution, led by Kari Morrissey, have been contacted for comment.

It comes after a video of Baldwin began circulating on social media, which saw the actor confronted by a pro-Palestinian protestor in a coffee shop in New York.

Cover photo: John Lamparski / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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