Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter case was dismissed with prejudice, ensuring he cannot be retried on the same charge.

On the third day of Baldwin’s trial, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer granted the defense’s motion to dismiss the case, leading Baldwin to break down in tears. The 66-year-old actor faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted. Baldwin was also seen hugging his wife, Hilaria, in the courtroom.

The defense argued that live ammunition related to the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins had been “concealed” from them. Judge Sommer stated this caused “needless delay” and was “highly prejudicial to the defendant.” The dismissal with prejudice means Baldwin cannot face the same charge again.

Alec Baldwin Gets Emotional While Judge Explains Her Ruling

BREAKING: Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the ‘Rust’ moving shooting case with prejudice against #AlecBaldwin. When Baldwin heard her ruling, he started to sob and later hugged his family. Baldwin was facing an involuntary manslaughter charge. pic.twitter.com/v9gfv2xd92

— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) July 12, 2024

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“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” Judge Sommer explained, prompting an emotional response from Baldwin. The dismissal followed lead prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey’s testimony regarding the ammunition. Morrissey stated she believed the rounds did not match those from the “Rust” set and had only seen a photo. The evidence, later examined in court, revealed some rounds did match. Morrissey claimed, “I never saw them until today.”

Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, accused the prosecution of “burying” the evidence by assigning it a different case number. Meanwhile, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, is serving an 18-month sentence for loading the live rounds that killed Hutchins.

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