Actor Alec Baldwin attends his trial for involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, July 12, 2024, at Santa Fe County District Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (AP)

A New Mexico judge has dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin, citing prosecutorial misconduct related to withholding crucial evidence in the case of the fatal shooting that took place on the set of the film "Rust" in October 2021.

The incident claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza after Baldwin, also a producer of the film, was rehearsing a scene with what was believed to have been a safe prop gun, which turned out to have a live round in its chamber.

Baldwin maintained that he had been assured the revolver did not contain live rounds. However, prosecutors argued that Baldwin had violated fundamental firearm safety protocols.

Baldwin's defense team characterized the shooting as an "unspeakable tragedy," asserting that the actor had committed no crime. They argued that live rounds were never supposed to be on the set and that Baldwin had been misled about the gun's safety.

State intentionally withheld evidence

The defense requested a dismissal of the charges, pointing out that the prosecution had failed to disclose a batch of rounds given for ballistic review when Baldwin's lawyers had requested this evidence.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer agreed with the defense, ruling that the prosecution's failure to disclose the evidence was a significant error.

"The state's willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate," Sommer stated. "This disclosure over the course of trial is so late that it undermines the defendant's preparation for trial. There is no way for the court to right this wrong."

The high-profile case has sparked widespread discussions about workplace safety on film sets, particularly concerning the use of firearms.

In a related development, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on "Rust", was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for loading Baldwin's revolver with live ammunition.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors asserted that Gutierrez-Reed neglected crucial safety protocols that fell under her responsibility. They claimed that her on-set practices were unprofessional and described her work as "sloppy", alleging instances of leaving guns and ammunition unattended and disorganized.