The special prosecutor, Kari Morrissey, charged Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter but argued that the judge “improperly” dismissed these charges. Morrissey filed a complaint on July 31, stating that Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer used flawed reasoning to dismiss the charges stemming from the October 21, 2021 incident on the set of Baldwin’s film “Rust,” where Baldwin’s gun discharged a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in the incident. She has since requested a new trial, claiming prosecutorial misconduct in Baldwin’s case. Morrissey, however, opposes a new trial for Gutierrez Reed, arguing that the court misunderstood the testimony and improperly dismissed Baldwin’s case.

Judge Sommer dismissed the charges against Baldwin with prejudice, criticizing the prosecution’s failure to provide necessary evidence to the defense, which she claimed affected the fairness of the proceedings. Baldwin, who was an executive producer on “Rust,” faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted, and the film’s production has been halted indefinitely.