Andrea Reeb announced the decision one month after the actor’s attorney filed a petition to remove her because she is also a representative in the state legislature, which the actor’s team argued was a violation of the state constitution.
The special prosecutor overseeing Alec Baldwin’s case for the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust has resigned.
Andrea Reeb made the announcement a month after Baldwin’s attorney filed a petition to remove her because she is also a state representative.
The actor’s team argued that serving in another branch of government is a violation of the New Mexico constitution.
Ms. Reeb stated, “The best way for me to ensure that justice is served in this case is to step down so that the prosecution can concentrate on the evidence and facts, which demonstrate that a complete disregard for basic safety protocols led to the death of Halyna Hutchins.”
“I will not permit questions regarding my roles as a legislator and prosecutor to obscure the issue at hand.”
Baldwin, the film’s protagonist, and producer, pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge on February 23.
He had the gun that murdered Ms. Hutchins, but he denies pulling the trigger.
Armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will enter a not guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter, according to her attorney, and assistant director Dave Hall has entered a not guilty plea to a misdemeanor weapons charge.
Firearm enhancement vanished
The prosecution initially charged Baldin and Gutierrez-Reed with a five-year firearm enhancement but subsequently dropped the charges because the law did not apply at the time of Ms. Hutchins’ death, reducing their potential prison sentence from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 18 months.
Ms. Gutierrez-Reed attributes the shooting to possible sabotage, Baldwin’s lack of firearms training, and Halls and Baldwin’s failure to contact her on set for additional firearm checks.
Prosecutors refute the claim that authorities obliterated a firearm.
It comes after New Mexico prosecutors denied Baldwin’s attorneys’ claims that state authorities had destroyed the firearm that murdered Ms. Hutchins.
In the meantime, her husband Matthew, her parents, and her sister all filed lawsuits against Baldwin and others in connection with Ms. Hutchins’s death following her gunshot. A resolution was struck at the end of January.
Three crew members have also initiated legal action, claiming they have experienced anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms since the incident.
