Alec Baldwin broke down in tears in court on Friday as New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against him related to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" nearly three years ago. The judge's decision came after ruling that law enforcement did not properly share evidence with Baldwin's defense team, CNN reported.

The dismissal, granted with prejudice, ensures that the case cannot be brought back to court. Upon hearing the ruling, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin embraced each other, visibly emotional. Baldwin had faced the possibility of up to 18 months in prison if convicted for his involvement in the tragic accident that took Hutchins' life and injured director Joel Souza.

The incident occurred in October 2021 when Baldwin was practicing a "cross draw" maneuver with a prop gun on the set of "Rust" in New Mexico. A live round was discharged from the gun, killing Hutchins and wounding Souza. Baldwin was accused of violating firearm safety protocols by pointing the gun at Hutchins and pulling the trigger.

However, Baldwin's defense team argued that the responsibility lay with the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and first assistant director, Dave Halls, who were in charge of ensuring firearm safety on set. Baldwin's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the case earlier this week, alleging that authorities had withheld crucial evidence concerning live ammunition.

On Thursday, crime scene technician Marissa Poppell testified that a man had handed over bullets to Santa Fe law enforcement in March, claiming they were related to the "Rust" shooting. Poppell revealed that this ammunition was filed under a different case number, not under the "Rust" case. Baldwin's lawyers contended that this evidence should have been properly disclosed as it could be related to Hutchins' death.

Prosecutors, however, maintained that the bullets in question were not connected to the "Rust" case and did not match those found on the movie set. Judge Sommer ruled that the state's failure to disclose this evidence constituted a significant violation that necessitated the dismissal of the case with prejudice. "The state's discovery violation has injected a needless, incurable delay into the jury trial," the judge stated, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice.

Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Dave Halls received six months of probation and a suspended sentence after pleading no contest to negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Reacting to the dismissal of Baldwin's case, Gutierrez-Reed's father told the Daily Mail that the decision was "good" and expressed hope that his daughter's case would also be dismissed. However, Matthew Hutchins, Halyna's husband of 16 years, expressed a different sentiment. In a statement to the outlet, he said that while he "respects the court's decision," he believes Baldwin should be held "accountable for his actions."