Alec Baldwin has filed a lawsuit against those involved in pursuing criminal charges against him over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.
Baldwin is suing the defendants, including special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, for malicious prosecution and violations of his civil rights. He alleges that the prosecutors were driven by a desire to convict him for the wrong reasons.
In response, Morrissey stated, “We look forward to our day in court.” BBC News has reached out to Carmack-Altwies for comment.
The lawsuit claims that the prosecutors intentionally suppressed evidence that could have cleared Baldwin and sought to unfairly blame him in order to advance their case. Baldwin’s legal team also asserts that the prosecution’s actions were motivated by malice.
Morrissey commented that in October 2023, the prosecution team became aware of Baldwin’s intention to file the civil lawsuit and added, “We look forward to our day in court.”
This legal action comes shortly after Morrissey withdrew an appeal concerning the dismissal of an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in December 2023, following the fatal shooting of Hutchins in 2021. Baldwin, who was both the lead actor and co-producer of Rust, was holding a gun when it discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
The involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin was dismissed in July 2023 after a judge determined there had been police and prosecutorial misconduct, including withholding key evidence related to the ammunition used in the incident.
Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, issued a joint statement to the PA news agency, stating: “Criminal prosecutions should be about truth and justice, not personal or political gain or harassment of the innocent. Kari Morrissey and the other defendants repeatedly violated this principle, infringing on Alec Baldwin’s rights. This lawsuit aims to hold the defendants accountable and prevent such actions from happening to anyone else.”
