Actor Alec Baldwin has filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations fatal shooting Of a cinematographer on the set of the western film “Rust”.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in state District Court in Santa Fe, where a judge in July a charge dismissed Involuntary manslaughter case filed against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halina Hutchins. Last month, the prosecutor abandoned their appeal Of the judge's decision.
Baldwin also alleges defamation in the suit, saying that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence while pursuing the case.
The defendants named in the lawsuit include Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, as well as investigators from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.
“The defendants sought to scapegoat Baldwin for the actions and omissions of others at every turn, without regard to the evidence or the law,” the lawsuit states.
Morrissey and Carmack-Altweis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“Criminal prosecutions are supposed to be about the pursuit of truth and justice, not for personal or political gain or to harass innocents,” Baldwin's attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro told CBS News in a statement. “Kari Morrissey and other defendants repeatedly violated that core principle, and trampled on Alec Baldwin's rights. We bring this action to hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to prevent them from doing the same to anyone else.” Are.”
Hutchins died in October 2021 shortly after being injured during rehearsals for the film “Rust” at a film-set farm on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was aiming a pistol at Hutchins when shots were fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said that he pulled the hammer back – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired.