NEWS
Alec Baldwin fights 'absolute immunity' for 'Rust' prosecutors
Actor-producer filed suit against prosecutors, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and commissioners in 2025
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Alec Baldwin鈥檚 attorneys are asking that Santa Fe prosecutors, law enforcement and county commissioners not be protected from a lawsuit he filed against them last year.
鈥淭he court should exercise caution in defining the scope of any absolute immunity,鈥� according to a response to the county鈥檚 motion for partial judgment on the pleadings filed in the U.S. District Court in New Mexico on Monday.
New Mexico law generally gives public employees immunity from lawsuits if they are acting in the scope of their duties, according to state law.
An 鈥渁ll-encompassing decree of that sort would go too far,鈥� the court document states.
Among those named in the lawsuit are lead special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, 1st Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies as well as the Santa Fe County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and county commissioners.
Attorneys for the defendants could not be reached for comment.
In January 2025, Baldwin filed a lawsuit against prosecutors and law enforcement alleging he was maliciously prosecuted following the 2021 shooting death of 鈥淩ust鈥� cinematographer, 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins.
According to the response, Baldwin claimed the 鈥渄efendants coordinated with prosecutors 鈥榯o procure a groundless indictment against Baldwin and to maliciously bring about 鈥� Baldwin鈥檚 conviction鈥� by shaping their investigation to implicate Baldwin, by destroying or concealing evidence essential to his defense and 鈥� by delivering perjurious testimony from the witness stand.鈥�
In July 2024, a judge threw out an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin after finding prosecutors withheld evidence from his defense team.
Baldwin, the film鈥檚 lead actor and co-producer, was rehearsing a scene on the set of the Bonanza Creek Ranch, near Santa Fe, when the gun he was holding discharged, fatally striking Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Jury selection for the civil trial is scheduled for August 2027, according to court records.
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
