The District Attorney who charged Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter after a fatal filmset shooting has stepped aside from the lawsuit.
The Hollywood star faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter after a gun went off on the set of movie Rust in October 2021, fatally wounding cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
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Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced that she would be standing down from the case in order to focus on wider issues in New Mexico.
Attorneys Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis have been appointed to serve as new special prosecutors in the case.
(Image: instagram)
In a statement explaining her decision to step aside, Carmack-Altwies said she had reached the decision in order to “focus on broader public safety needs”.
“Morrissey’s and Lewis’ extensive experience and trial expertise will allow the state to pursue justice for Halyna Hutchins and ensure that in New Mexico everyone is held accountable under the law,” a statement from the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office read, the Mirror reports.
It continued: “With the appointment of new special prosecutors, Carmack-Altwies will step aside from personally prosecuting the ‘Rust’ case, allowing her to focus on the broader public safety needs in New Mexico’s First Judicial District.”
The case has already faced a series of setbacks and saw previous special prosecutor in the case, Andrea Reeb, also step down, following objections to her involvement from Baldwin’s legal team.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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At the time Ms Reeb said she did not want her involvement in the case to “cloud the real issue at hand” and that the decision was “the best way I can ensure justice is served in this case”.
Baldwin’s lawyers argued that Ms Reeb’s involvement in the case was “unconstitutional” due to her elected position in the New Mexico House of Representatives.
They said that her position was a violation of the state constitution’s separation of powers provision and that she could “make prosecutorial decisions that serve her legislative interests.”
Baldwin is next set to appear in court on May 3 for a two-week preliminary hearing, during which it will be decided whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
