Alec Baldwin Accuses Prosecutors Of 'Playing Games' Ahead Of 'Rust' Trial

Actor Alec Baldwin and his legal team have continued to speak out against the “Rust” prosecutors who recently renewed involuntary manslaughter charges against him last January.

The “30 Rock” actor will be facing a criminal trial in July in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. A gun that the actor was holding to rehearse a scene went off, although Baldwin has maintained that he never pulled the trigger.

In the latest legal drama between Alec Baldwin’s legal team and “Rust” prosecutors, the State of New Mexico disagrees with the accusation made by Baldwin’s legal team that they have committed prosecutorial misconduct and that the case against the actor should therefore be dismissed. Baldwin’s legal team fired back, asking their filing to be struck from the record.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, on April 28, the “State sought leave of the Court to file a supplemental response in order to address the defendant’s mischaracterization of the law applicable to judicial review of matters occurring before the grand jury.”

Knowing that this case is playing out in headlines, the prosecution went on to note in their filing that, “In his attempt to obfuscate the law as it relates to prosecutorial discretion in extending and withdrawing plea offers, the defendant resorts to unseemly attacks on the prosecutor.”

The filing goes on to say that “traditionally courts do not approve of counsel’s casting aspersions on opposing counsel or making accusations of misconduct without a solid foundation.”

On April 29, Baldwin’s legal team asked to strike the filing submitted by the prosecution only a day prior, calling it “substantively and procedurally improper” and noting that it “should be disregarded.” They accuse the prosecutors of failing to “address a single legal authority cited in Baldwin’s motion, or cite a single legal authority of its own.”

Instead, Baldwin’s legal team says that “the State fails to provide controlling authority for its arguments, provides no authorities showing it hasn’t waived its arguments, and conceded Baldwin’s points, and provides no factual support to justify its failure to timely address Baldwin’s arguments through the process set forth in the Court’s February 26, 2024 Scheduling Order.”

The document concludes: “The State is playing games with the Court’s rules and with Baldwin’s right to be fairly heard. The State’s Reply brief should be stricken.”

Alec Baldwin’s legal team claimed that for “Rust” special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, the trial against the “Supercell” actor has “never been about the law.” In an April 22 court filing, the actor’s legal team claims that the prosecution released “a 32-page jeremiad against Baldwin and his lawyers that does not cite a single legal decision, does not distinguish Baldwin’s authorities, and spends no more than five pages addressing the core legal issues raised in Baldwin’s motion.”

“This face bears repeating: the State does not cite a single legal decision in its entire brief. Literally. A legal brief without any legal authority is not worth the paper it is written on,” the filing continues. Instead, they claim that this case is “about using the justice system to ‘humble’ an ‘arrogant’ celebrity that she dislikes.”

“Rust” armorerHannah Gutierrez-Reedwas found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins. It took a jury less than three hours to reach their verdict. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, who will be presiding over Baldwin’s trial as well, felt that she showed no remorse for what she had done and sentenced her to the state maximum of 18 months behind bars.

The day after the jury came back with a guilty verdict, Halyna Hutchins’ mother, father, and sister released a statement through their attorney, Gloria Allred, who is representing them in a civil lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and other “Rust” producers.

"Halyna’s parents and her sister have always wanted everyone who is responsible for Halyna’s death to be held accountable," Allred said, adding, "Today was the first trial and conviction in the criminal justice process. We are satisfied that the jury, based on the evidence, found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for her part in the taking of Halyna’s life."

They went on to say, "We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna's death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions."