Alec Baldwin Thanks Supporters After Involuntary Manslaughter Case Dismissed

Alec Baldwin expressed gratitude towards his supporters on Instagram after the dismissal of his involuntary manslaughter trial. The case was dismissed due to withheld evidence that tainted the trial's fairness. Baldwin had faced potential imprisonment for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, but the new evidence was deemed unrelated.

Alec Baldwin made his first public comments to thank his supporters on Saturday following a sudden end to his involuntary manslaughter trial. 'There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now,' Baldwin wrote on Instagram along with a photo from a Santa Fe, New Mexico courtroom. 'To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.'

The actor showed visible emotion as Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case three days into the trial, declaring that Baldwin could not face criminal charges again in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Neither Baldwin nor his legal team spoke to the press as they exited the courthouse.

The critical evidence came from ammunition submitted to the Santa Fe County sheriff's office in March by a man claiming its relevance to Hutchins' death. While prosecutors dismissed the ammunition as unrelated, Baldwin's attorneys accused the state of deliberately suppressing it. The judge ruled that the evidence's withholding compromised the trial's 'fundamental fairness,' ensuring Baldwin's release from potential 18-month imprisonment if convicted.

(With inputs from agencies.)