Alec Baldwin gives first statement after “Rust ”manslaughter case was dismissed
"You will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family."
Alec Baldwin is speaking out after his manslaughter trial stemming from the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was dismissed on Friday.
“There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now,” the actor wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday. “To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.”
Baldwin received support from several stars — including Anthony Hopkins, Don Lemon, and Amy Sedaris — in the post's comments section. Frank Grillo wrote, “Make peace with yourself and may you and your family heal from this.”
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Alec Baldwin at the conclusion of his trial tied to his 'Rust' involuntary manslaughter chargesRelated: Alec Baldwin's Rust manslaughter case dismissed for Brady violation and can't be refiled
Baldwin wept and hugged his attorneys in the New Mexico courtroom yesterday when Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against him with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be refiled in the future. The judge cited misconduct by police and prosecutors, who committed a Brady violation by withholding evidence from the defense, as the reason for the dismissal.
Hutchins was killed and the film’s director, Joel Souza, was injured when a prop gun Baldwin was holding discharged a live round on the Rust set on Oct. 21, 2021. The actor was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, but the charges were later dropped in order to give time for further investigation into the case.
Baldwin was later charged a second time in January 2024. He pleaded not guilty and has maintained that he "didn't pull the trigger” throughout the legal battle.
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Alec Baldwin at his trial for involuntary manslaughterRelated: Alec Baldwin's request to dismiss manslaughter indictment denied by judge in Rust case
In February 2022, Hutchins’ family filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and multiple Rust crew members before later reaching a settlement that October. Hutchins’ parents and sister filed their own negligence lawsuit against Baldwin in February 2023.
Baldwin also sued Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the incident and sentenced to 18 months in prison in April, as well as several other crew members for negligence in November 2022.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.