logo
New Mexico judge dismisses Alec Baldwin's 'malicious' prosecution suit in 'Rust' case

New Mexico judge dismisses Alec Baldwin's 'malicious' prosecution suit in 'Rust' case

Reuters31-07-2025
July 30 (Reuters) - A New Mexico judge has tossed out a misconduct lawsuit filed by actor Alec Baldwin against local prosecutors and sheriff's officials over their pursuit of criminal charges against him for the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of the Western movie "Rust."
Judge Casey Fitch dismissed Baldwin's complaint on Tuesday for lack of "significant action" in the case over the past 180 days. The one-page order, made public on Wednesday, allows any party in the lawsuit to seek reinstatement within 30 days.
Baldwin sued special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, Santa Fe County law enforcement investigators and other public officials in January, accusing them of malicious abuse of process, defamation and mishandling of evidence.
The lawsuit said the prosecutors and others had conspired to manufacture a criminal case against Baldwin for political and personal gain when they charged him with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Baldwin's lawyer did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the dismissal of the suit.
The civil suit followed the abrupt dismissal of Baldwin's criminal case in July 2024 during his trial in the New Mexico capital.
The trial judge ruled then that the special prosecutor and sheriff's office had deliberately withheld evidence from Baldwin on the source of a live round that killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.
Hutchins' death, Hollywood's first on-set fatal shooting in nearly 30 years, shocked the movie industry and sparked calls for an overhaul of firearms safety on movie productions.
Morrissey has said prosecutors had long known the actor would file a retaliatory civil lawsuit.
The Ukrainian-born cinematographer died when Baldwin pointed a pistol at her while rehearsing, cocked the weapon and possibly pulled the trigger as they set up a camera shot on a movie set near Santa Fe, his lawyers said.
The gun, a reproduction 1873 single-action army revolver, fired a live round inadvertently loaded by Hannah Gutierrez, the movie's weapons handler. Gutierrez was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Baldwin, also a "Rust" producer, has always said live rounds should not have been allowed on set and he was not responsible for weapons safety.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dismembered remains found by hiker in Utah belong to fisherman missing for 28 years, cops confirm
Dismembered remains found by hiker in Utah belong to fisherman missing for 28 years, cops confirm

The Independent

time26 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Dismembered remains found by hiker in Utah belong to fisherman missing for 28 years, cops confirm

Dismembered remains found by a hiker in Utah were found to belong to a fisherman who had been missing for nearly three decades, cops say. In May, a hiker and his dog came across a hiking boot with the remains of a human foot inside on the shores of Fish Lake, the Sevier County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Tuesday. Investigators determined the shoe was only made for one year, in 1996, and the sheriff's office had a missing persons case from 1997. David White of Washington, Utah — about a two and a half hour drive southwest of Fish Lake — had vanished in September of that year while on a fishing trip. There were no witnesses. White had rented a hotel room near the lake and he was supposed to go fishing with his friends, but the plans fell through, the sheriff's office said. White decided to go fishing anyway and was never seen again. His boat was later reportedly found trolling across the lake, but no one was on board, the Sheriff's office said. Trolling is a fishing method where a baited line trails behind a boat. 'A shoe and hat were found floating in the water giving a possible indication where White was believed to have fallen in,' according to the Facebook post. The initial search for White lasted five days with no further evidence found, and now, just about 28 years later, his family has some closure. DNA was taken from the boot and one of White's daughters and testing showed a '99.9994% certainty' the samples were related. Stefanie Bennett, one of White's daughters, said in a statement: 'We are also deeply grateful to the individual and his dog who found the shoe – without them, we would not be where we are today.' She also thanked the authorities and others for 'their incredible support and tireless efforts.' Sheriff Nathan J. Curtis said in a statement: 'This case has been on the mind of every one of the SAR [search and rescue] members who were involved in the search 28 years ago. It is good to finally have some closure for the family and the searchers.'

Former child star reveals they went to 'weight loss camp' for Hunger Games role that Jennifer Lawrence won
Former child star reveals they went to 'weight loss camp' for Hunger Games role that Jennifer Lawrence won

Daily Mail​

time26 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Former child star reveals they went to 'weight loss camp' for Hunger Games role that Jennifer Lawrence won

Former child star Alyson Stoner revealed that they went to a 'medical weight loss camp' in preparation to audition for the lead role in The Hunger Games - which went to Jennifer Lawrence. The 31-year-old Camp Rock alum — who previously ended their feud with Demi Lovato — got candid about the 'strenuous' lengths they took in their upcoming memoir Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything which hits shelves on August 12. Alyson — who came out as queer in 2018 and uses they/them pronouns — described the workout regime and diet they underwent while simultaneously battling an eating disorder. In an excerpt of the book, per Vanity Fair, the star penned that playing Katniss would be the 'ultimate role' and 'ultimate strong female lead.' They continued, 'But the role was playing with fire for me. Katniss was characteristically thin — not starving, but small enough to reflect growing up in an underfed district — and muscular from hunting and archery. 'If I was going to devote myself to checking every box of the character description, I had to commit to strenuous training without fully succumbing to my eating disorder.' Alyson began undergoing more intense workouts months before the audition. The star explained that they were ready for such a pivotal role in their career and explained, 'I'd spent my whole career erring on the side of practicality and it hadn't amounted to a breakthrough. So this time, I jumped for the moon.' At the age of 17, Alyson was approved to attend a 'world-renowned medical weight loss camp' — which offered a two-week program that included 'seven hours of daily exercise on a calorie deficit.' At the time, the former Disney channel star admitted to already being underweight and wrote that they 'didn't recognize the irrational exceptions that doctors (and society) made for Hollywood, because it was all I knew.' Alyson recalled getting a physical done when they were 10 before filming Cheaper By The Dozen. They explained a doctor found a heart murmur but didn't add the discovery to their file 'because it "might stop the production company from letting you work." 'I followed the doctor's orders and ignored the murmur like he did, deducing that Hollywood must exist above medicine, above the law, and even above common sense.' Alyson's initial goal when preparing for the Katniss audition was not to lose weight but instead build muscle. At the age of 17, Alyson was approved to attend a 'world-renowned medical weight loss camp' — which offered a two-week program that included 'seven hours of daily exercise on a calorie deficit'; seen in 2010 at age 17 in NYC 'Doctors and trainers should've never permitted an underweight minor to do seven hours of fourteen-mile hikes, heavy lifting, and high-intensity cardio,' the star penned. 'But all I had to say was that I was training for an acting role. They assessed me as mentally stable and opened the door.' By the end of two weeks, Alyson revealed the results from the intense training and diet and said their 'body fat percentage dropped into the range of elite gymnasts.' The star shared how they became 'hooked' on the regime which negatively affected their immune system and caused massive fatigue as well as lightheadedness. Alyson prepared three scenes for the day of the audition and one of the scenes ended up being cut. They waited to hear back following the audition for days, and their body ended up going into 'starvation mode.' Alyson recalled 'completing the biggest binge of my life' and wrote, 'Twelve hours later, I awoke to a revolting migraine and lethargy. 'Somehow, I was still craving sugar. But before I could think about spoiling another day, I had to face the self-inflicted damage of the night before.' The star added, 'When I stepped onto the scale, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. What the hell? I gained back every single pound I lost over two months? In a few hours?! It was my worst nightmare. 'My body had held on to every morsel of food and liquid ounce, unsure when it would be fed again. All my progress was erased.' While Alyson did not end up winning the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, they are known for other projects. The star appeared in movies such as Cheaper By The Dozen (2003), Step Up (2008) as well as the Disney channel movies Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). Alyson showcased their dance skills in the past by appearing in Missy Elliot's 2002 music for Work It at the age of nine. They have also previously talked about the effect that the audition preparation for The Hunger Games had on them. During an interview with Access Hollywood in 2022, they explained, 'I am not sure I have ever shared this explicitly, but I was auditioning for The Hunger Games for the lead role, Katniss. 'I was so committed to the audition process that I underwent very intense physical training, and I was on a very restrictive diet.' The star appeared in movies such as Cheaper By The Dozen (2003), Step Up (2008) as well as the Disney channel movies Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010); seen with Demi Lovato in Camp Rock sequel Alyson admitted to checking themselves into rehab and remembered, 'My hair is starting to fall out, my skin is sallow, and I'm medically underweight. I feel obsessive about these behaviors, and I really need help.' The star has been candid with fans over their struggles with anorexia, bulimia and anxiety. In 2018, Alyson came out as queer and later revealed that they were fired from a children's television show soon after, although they didn't disclose the name of the series. They have continued to voice the character of Isabella in the animated series Phineas And Ferb and attended 2025 Comic Con in San Diego last month to take part in a panel for the show.

Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies aged 88
Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies aged 88

The Guardian

time26 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies aged 88

Eddie Palmieri, the avant-garde musician who was one of the most innovative artists of rumba and Latin jazz, has died aged 88. Fania Records announced Palmieri's death Wednesday evening. Palmieri's daughter Gabriela told the New York Times her father died earlier that day at his home in New Jersey after 'an extended illness'. The pianist, composer and bandleader was the first Latino to win a Grammy award, in 1975 for the album The Sun of Latin Music, and he would win seven more over a career that spanned nearly 40 albums. He kept releasing music into his 80s, even performing through the early coronavirus pandemic via livestreams. Palmieri was born in New York's Spanish Harlem in 1936, at a time when music was seen as a way out of the ghetto. He began studying the piano at an early age, like his famous brother Charlie Palmieri, but at age 13, he began playing timbales in his uncle's orchestra, overcome with a desire for the drums. He eventually abandoned the instrument and went back to playing piano. 'I'm a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano,' the musician once said in his website biography. In a 2011 interview with the Associated Press, when asked if he had anything important left to do, he responded with his usual humility and good humour: 'Learning to play the piano well ... Being a piano player is one thing. Being a pianist is another.' Palmieri dabbled in tropical music as a pianist during the 1950s with the Eddie Forrester Orchestra. He later joined Johnnie Seguí's band and Tito Rodríguez's before forming his own band in 1961, La Perfecta, alongside trombonist Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana. La Perfecta was the first to feature a trombone section instead of trumpets, something rarely seen in Latin music. With its unique sound, the band quickly joined the ranks of Machito, Tito Rodríguez, and other Latin orchestras of the time. Palmieri produced several albums on the Alegre and Tico Records labels, including the 1971 classic Vámonos Pa'l Monte, with his brother Charlie as guest organist. Charlie Palmieri died in 1988. Eddie's unconventional approach would surprise critics and fans again that year with the release of Harlem River Drive, in which he fused Black and Latin styles to produce a sound that encompassed elements of salsa, funk, soul and jazz. Later, in 1974, he recorded The Sun of Latin Music with a young Lalo Rodríguez, and the album became the first Latin production to win a Grammy. Eight-time winner Palmieri was instrumental in the creation of the best Latin jazz album category at the Grammys in 1995; when the category was eliminated in 2011, he accused the academy of 'marginalizing our music, culture and people even further'. The category was reinstated the following year. In the 1980s, he won two more Grammy awards, for the albums Palo Pa' Rumba (1984) and Solito (1985). Palmieri released the album Masterpiece in 2000, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente, who died that year. It was a hit with critics and won two Grammy awards. The album was also chosen as the most outstanding production of the year by the National Foundation for Popular Culture of Puerto Rico. During his long career, he participated in concerts and recordings with the Fania All-Stars and Tico All-Stars, standing out as a composer, arranger, producer and orchestra director. In 1988, the Smithsonian Institution recorded two of Palmieri's concerts for the catalog of the National Museum of American History in Washington. Yale University in 2002 awarded him the Chubb fellowship award, an award usually reserved for international heads of state, in recognition of his work in building communities through music. Over his career, Palmieri worked with renowned musicians such as timbalero Nicky Marrero, bassist Israel 'Cachao' López, trumpeter Alfredo 'Chocolate' Armenteros, trombonist Lewis Khan and Puerto Rican bassist Bobby Valentín. In 2010, Palmieri said he felt a bit lonely musically due to the deaths of many of the rumberos with whom he enjoyed playing with.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store