Baldwin's Bombshell: Alec Files Civil Lawsuit for Malicious Prosecution and Civil Rights Violation After Judge Dismissed Case of Deadly 'Rust' Movie Set Shooting
Jan. 10 2025, Published 2:50 p.m. ET
Alec Baldwin has filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violation after a judge dismissed the case involving the 2021 fatal shooting on the Rust movie set.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the bombshell lawsuit was filed at the state district court in Santa Fe, where a judge dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins back in July.
According to the lawsuit, the actor also alleges defamation in the lawsuit and claimed prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence as they pursued the case.
The lawsuit claimed: "Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law."
The lawsuit also claimed prosecutors and investigators targeted the actor for professional or political gain.
Defendants included in Baldwin's lawsuit include special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.
Plus, three investigators from the Santa Fe County sheriff's office and the county board of commissioners.
Back in July, Baldwin broke down in tears in court as a New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him for a fatal shooting on the set.
His lawyers claimed police and prosecutors hid a batch of bullets, which was evidence that could have been connected to the fatal shooting.
According to Baldwin's lawyer, the bullets that were hidden and possibly could have been considered evidence could be related to Hutchins' death – but were filed in a different case with a different number.
While prosecutors argued the hidden bullets were not connected to the Rust shooting case and did not match other ammunition found on the set, the judge ruled that the information should have been shared with Baldwin's defense team.
The judge stated: "The state's wilful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate. There is no way for the court to right this wrong."
During the court hearing, the bullets were discussed after a crime-scene technician told the court that a man named Troy Teske, a retired police officer, had turned over live ammunition with the possibility of them being related to the case.
At the end of the hearing, prosecutor Kari Morrissey took the stand to testify about the bullets and why they weren't shared with the defense and claimed she thought the ammunition had "no evidentiary value."
Throughout the case, Baldwin's lawyers questioned the mistakes made by authorities who investigated the scene.
Back in October 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot and director Joel Souza was injured on the movie set when a live round was discharged from a prop revolver that Baldwin was using.
Baldwin claimed he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired and he wasn't aware it was loaded with bullets.
On January 31, 2023, the Santa Fe district attorney charged Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.