Alec Baldwin Files Civil Rights Complaint Against Santa Fe Prosecutors in ‘Rust’ Case
Actor Alec Baldwin has launched a civil rights complaint against Santa Fe officials, including special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, alleging that he was wrongfully prosecuted in the “Rust” shooting case, CNN reports.
Baldwin’s complaint, filed Thursday, accuses the prosecutors and others of violating his rights, malicious abuse of process, and defamation.
The complaint comes after involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin were dropped in July. The case stemmed from the October 2021 on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was fatally shot by a prop gun held by Baldwin. A judge dismissed the charges after ruling that prosecutors had failed to properly share evidence with the defense.
According to the legal document, Baldwin claims the prosecution was “blinded by their desire to convict” him for “all the wrong reasons, and at any cost,” over the past three years. He argues that the officials were attempting to “scapegoat” him for “acts and omissions of others” and that evidence was “manipulated” or “concealed” to strengthen their case.
“Criminal prosecutions are supposed to be about the search for truth and justice, not to pursue personal or political gain or harass the innocent,” stated Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro in a statement released Thursday.
They added that the legal action was taken to “hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to prevent them from doing this to anyone else.”
The complaint seeks to hold the defendants responsible for what Baldwin calls “appalling violations of the laws that governed their work.” While the legal action cannot undo the trauma caused by the State’s threat of conviction, the complaint states Baldwin seeks accountability for the officials’ actions.
In a response to the filing, Special Prosecutor Morrissey acknowledged the lawsuit.
“In October 2023 the prosecution team became aware that Mr. Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit. We look forward to our day in court.”
