Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer granted the defense’s request to suppress evidence about the state’s purported capacity to act irresponsibly and disobey gun safety laws because Baldwin produced the Western film “Rust.”
At a hearing held in Santa Fe’s First Judicial District Court, the judge stated, “I’m having real difficulty with the state’s position that they want to show that as a producer he didn’t follow guidelines and therefore, as an actor, Mr. Baldwin did all these things wrong.”
Unfair bias and misunderstanding among jurors do not significantly exceed the probative value.”
During the production of the movie in October 2021, Baldwin unintentionally shot a gun that was incorrectly loaded with a live cartridge, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. He entered a not-guilty plea.
The prosecution’s case suffered a serious blow as a result of the judge’s ruling. Seated at the defense table, Baldwin showed little emotion in response to the decision.
The prosecution has maintained that he was ultimately in charge of the irresponsible behavior on the set because he was the most seasoned actor and the movie’s producer.
