Andrea Reeb, the special prosecutor in the “Rust” manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin, stepped down on Tuesday, a month after Baldwin filed for her removal.
Reeb stated that the controversy surrounding her status as a New Mexico legislator was interfering with “the real issue at hand.”
Baldwin’s attorneys argued that New Mexico law prohibits state lawmakers from also being a prosecutor, so they wrote a motion to disqualify Reeb.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Reeb said that she had made the difficult decision to step down after reflecting on the issue, and that her priority has always been justice for the victim.
She stated that stepping down would ensure that justice is served in the case so that the prosecution can focus on the evidence and the facts.
Baldwin’s attorneys claimed that Reeb is either the executive or judicial power, and that her service as a special prosecutor is unconstitutional.
It is still unknown how a live bullet ended up in the prop gun’s chamber instead of a blank, but Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to the shooting.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer who was in charge of weapons during filming, also faces involuntary manslaughter charges. In October, Baldwin reached a settlement with Hutchins’ family in a wrongful death claim against him and others for an undisclosed amount.
Last week, Baldwin’s defense attorney made a damning allegation that the state had destroyed the gun, a key piece of evidence in the case.
Prosecutors later denied the accusation, stating it had sustained damage to internal components during the FBI’s functionality testing, but that it “still exists and can be used as evidence.”
Joel Souza, the director of “Rust” who was also injured in the shooting, could be featured as a witness in the case on behalf of the prosecution.
»Alec Baldwin’s Attorneys Succeed in Disqualifying Andrea Reeb as Special Prosecutor«
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