Washington [US], June 30 : Actor Alec Baldwin's legal battle continues as a judge has ruled against his motion to dismiss the case stemming from the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a movie set in Santa Fe, N.M.
The decision, handed down by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, ensures that Baldwin will face trial on July 9 for involuntary manslaughter, according to the reports obtained by Variety.
The controversy centres around Baldwin's assertion that the FBI's destruction of his Colt .45 revolver during testing obstructed his defence.
Baldwin's defence team argued that the gun may have malfunctioned due to pre-existing damage, but the FBI's actions prevented them from examining the firearm in its original condition, thereby compromising their ability to present a complete defence.
In her ruling, Judge Marlowe Sommer dismissed Baldwin's claim that the undamaged gun could potentially exonerate him, stating that the defence failed to substantiate this theory with substantial evidence, according to Variety.
She further asserted that the defence's arguments regarding the gun's condition were speculative rather than grounded in a factual basis.
Despite denying Baldwin's motion to dismiss, the judge also refused the defence's request to prohibit prosecutors from arguing that Baldwin pulled the trigger.
Instead, she ruled that both sides could explore and present evidence regarding the gun's state and functionality during trial proceedings.
This ruling follows previous decisions by Judge Marlowe Sommer to reject two earlier attempts by Baldwin's attorneys to have the case dismissed.
Notably, Baldwin's legal team has filed a fourth motion arguing that the special prosecutor, Kari Morrissey, withheld crucial evidence until shortly before trial, including a firearms report obtained by Variety, indicating potential damage to the gun prior to the incident.
In response, Morrissey described the failure to disclose the report as an unintentional oversight, dismissing its relevance to the defence's case as a "red herring."
She criticized Baldwin's legal manoeuvres as baseless and characterized his claims as absurd.
The forthcoming trial promises to delve into the specifics of the shooting incident and the condition of the firearm involved, according to Variety.
Baldwin, who has denied pulling the trigger, faces significant legal challenges as he prepares to defend himself against the involuntary manslaughter charge.
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