Examination demanded

Baldwin again in the sights of the public prosecutor’s office

Alec Baldwin could end up back in court after all.

(Bild: APA Pool/AFP/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)

A new shock for US actor Alec Baldwin: following the dismissal of the case against the Hollywood star for fatally shooting a camerawoman, the public prosecutor's office has asked the judge to reconsider the decision. 

In a brief filed on Wednesday by New Mexico state prosecutor Kari Morrissey, the latter "respectfully" asks the court to "reconsider the dismissal of the case". The decision was flawed, she argued. 

Evidence withheld
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer had dismissed the case in mid-July on the grounds that evidence had been deliberately withheld from the defense.

Arms master convicted
During the filming of the western "Rust" in 2021, camerawoman Hutchins was fatally shot by a bullet from a revolver held by Baldwin. Director Joel Souza was injured by the same bullet. The gun master on the film set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, had already been sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Baldwin faced the same charge. Prosecutors accuse him of disregarding basic gun safety laws and behaving recklessly towards colleagues on set.

"There was no cover-up"
The defense had presented evidence during the trial that live ammunition possibly connected to the fatal shooting had been given to police, but its existence had not been disclosed to Baldwin's attorneys.

Prosecutor Morrissey now argued that the evidence had been withheld because it was "immaterial". "There was no cover-up because there was nothing to cover up," he affirmed.