New Mexico prosecutors won't pursue an appeal of a court's decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting on a cinematographer on the set of a western movie, the Santa Fe district attorney's office announced, Report informs via AP.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the appeal of a July decision made at trial to dismiss the charge against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on set for the movie Rust outside Santa Fe in October 2021.
"Today's decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning — this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime," said defense lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro. "The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico."
The decision to drop the appeal solidifies the ruling by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer halfway through Baldwin's trial that dismissed the case on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.