(NewsNation) — Alec Baldwin’s defense attorneys are seeking an immediate dismissal of his involuntary manslaughter case, as they say the prosecution has buried evidence.
Baldwin is currently on trial over an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection to the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico film set. He had pleaded not guilty.
During a rehearsal, Baldwin was using a gun meant to be loaded with dummy rounds when he allegedly pointed it at the camera and fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
While the actor has maintained he did not pull the trigger on the weapon and that it fired by accident, FBI analysts disputed this upon examining the gun.
Defense attorneys for Baldwin said in court Friday that prosecutors concealed information about a Good Samaritan who brought ammunition to law enforcement after the trial of “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.
They say this was exculpatory evidence that could have tied the movie’s weapons provider, Seth Kenney, to live ammo found on set.
“If this evidence wasn’t as important as we say it is, they would have turned it over,” defense attorney Luke Nikas said.
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey, however, maintained there has been “no violation in our obligation” on behalf of the state.
Gutierrez-Reed, the person responsible for keeping track of weapons used in the movie, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year. Currently serving an 18-month prison sentence, she could be called to testify at Baldwin’s trial. Lawyers for Gutierrez-Reed told NewsNation that when their client testifies, she will be invoking her 5th Amendment right, which protects people from giving information that could incriminate them.
Prosecutors alleged Gutierrez-Reed was negligent for not realizing live rounds had been mixed in with a box of dummy rounds. Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers, meanwhile, say she was scapegoated by others working on the film. Producers had failed to keep the set safe and did not hold enough safety meetings, her defense attorneys said.
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