Photo credit: www.cbsnews.com
Actor Alec Baldwin has initiated a civil lawsuit, alleging malicious prosecution and infringement of civil rights following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”
This legal action was lodged on Thursday in a state district court located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This follows a previous ruling in July, where a judge dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin linked to Hutchins’ death. Prosecutors recently rescinded their appeal of this ruling, further shaping the legal landscape surrounding this case.
Baldwin’s lawsuit asserts defamation claims, contending that prosecutors and investigators deliberately mismanaged evidence while advancing their case against him. The suit names several defendants, including special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, and various investigators from the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office.
The lawsuit contends, “Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law.”
As of now, neither Morrissey nor Carmack-Altwies have publicly acknowledged Baldwin’s lawsuit or provided commentary on the allegations.
Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, communicated their perspective to CBS News, stating, “Criminal prosecutions are supposed to be about the search for truth and justice, not to pursue personal or political gain or harass the innocent. Kari Morrissey and the other defendants violated that basic principle, over and over, and trampled on Alec Baldwin’s rights. We bring this action to hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to prevent them from doing this to anyone else.”
The tragic incident occurred in October 2021 during a rehearsal at a film-set ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, when Baldwin, who was both the lead actor and co-producer, aimed a pistol at Hutchins, which then discharged. This incident not only resulted in Hutchins’ death but also injured director Joel Souza. Baldwin has maintained that he did not pull the trigger but had pulled back the hammer before the gun fired.
Source
www.cbsnews.com