SANTA FE, N.M. A New Mexico judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin in the middle of his trial on Friday, declaring that the case cannot be filed again.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case citing police and prosecutorial misconduct for withholding evidence from the defense related to the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”

Baldwin wept openly, hugged his attorneys, and then embraced his wife Hilaria, the mother of seven of his eight children, for a long moment before leaving the Santa Fe courthouse in an SUV without speaking to the media.

“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Judge Marlowe Sommer stated. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith to show signs of scorching.”

The critical evidence revealed on the trial’s second day of testimony was the existence of ammunition brought to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in March by a man who claimed it might be linked to Hutchins’ death. Prosecutors deemed the ammunition unrelated and insignificant, while Baldwin’s lawyers argued it was intentionally “buried.”

“Our goal from the beginning was to seek justice for Halyna Hutchins, and we fought to get this case tried on its merits,” District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a statement. “We are disappointed that the case did not get to the jury.”

This decision marks the end of the nearly three-year legal ordeal for the 66-year-old Baldwin, who faced potential prison time had he been convicted. The incident occurred when a revolver he was handling during a rehearsal discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Baldwin and other producers of “Rust” still face civil lawsuits from Hutchins’ parents and sister. However, prosecutors did secure one conviction in connection to Hutchins’ death. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter, a conviction she is currently appealing.

Her attorney, Jason Bowles, announced plans to file a motion to dismiss her case following the judge’s decision. “The judge upheld the integrity of the system in dismissing the case,” Bowles stated.

Earlier on Friday, Judge Marlowe Sommer paused the trial and sent the jury home for the weekend to allow for testimony and arguments on the motion to dismiss. The key witness was Troy Teske, a retired police officer and close friend of Gutierrez-Reed’s father. Teske had brought the contentious ammunition to the sheriff’s office, claiming it could be related to the incident. Authorities, however, had known about Teske and the ammunition since shortly after the shooting and had deemed it irrelevant.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey defended the dismissal of the evidence, arguing it was a distraction meant to shift blame away from Gutierrez-Reed. “This is a wild goose chase that has no evidentiary value whatsoever,” Morrissey told the judge. “This is just a man trying to protect his daughter.”

Despite the dismissal, Morrissey expressed respect for the judge’s decision. She maintained that there was no reason to believe the undisclosed evidence was related to the “Rust” set.

The trial was still in its early stages, with prosecutors just beginning to present their case and none of the eyewitnesses from the set yet testifying. Baldwin’s siblings, Stephen Baldwin and Elizabeth Keuchler, attended each day of the trial, showing support alongside his wife.

On the eve of the trial, the judge had already dealt a significant blow to the prosecution by ruling that Baldwin’s role as a producer on the film was irrelevant and could not be included. Nonetheless, prosecutors pushed forward, portraying Baldwin as a reckless performer who disregarded basic gun safety protocols.

In contrast, Baldwin’s attorney, Alex Spiro, argued that Baldwin had acted in line with standard industry practices on set and that the responsibility for safety rested with the crew members responsible for handling the firearms before they reached the actors.