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Baldwin files to dismiss Rust movie manslaughter charge

Alec Baldwin's lawyers say prosecutors have built their case around an unproven hypothesis.

Alec Baldwin's lawyers say prosecutors have built their case around an unproven hypothesis. Photo: Getty

Alec Baldwin’s lawyers have asked a judge to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor, accusing prosecutors of “violating nearly every rule in the book” in acquiring the indictment.

Among the claims, it is alleged the state prosecutors violated court orders by leaking information to the media, and gave the grand jury instruction on involuntary manslaughter that “unfairly stacked the deck against Baldwin”.

“Enough is enough,” the lawyers said in the filing on Thursday.

“This is an abuse of the system, and an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme. The court should dismiss the indictment.”

The motion added that prosecutors had “publicly dragged Baldwin through the cesspool created by their improprieties, without any regard for the fact that serious criminal charges have been hanging over his head for two-and-a-half years”.

Baldwin was re-charged with involuntary manslaughter in January, and will face a trial in July in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

He is accused of involuntary manslaughter after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the western film set of Rust in October 2021 after a prop gun held by Baldwin went off.

The motion to dismiss comes days after Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after a two-week trial.

The charge in which she was found guilty carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a $US5000 ($7600) fine.

– AAP

Topics: Alec Baldwin
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