- The New Mexico special prosecutor in the “Rust” manslaughter case against actor Alec Baldwin and a co-defendant has resigned.
- Baldwin’s attorneys sought to disqualify him as a state legislator.
- The decision by prosecutor Andrea Reep is the second major setback in the case against Baldwin.
- After admitting to Baldwin’s lawyers that he abused the law, he previously waived a so-called five-year sentence enhancement.
Alec Baldwin at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 7, 2021.
Mark Sagliocco | Getty Images Entertainment | Good pictures
New Mexico’s special prosecutor in the “Rust” murder case against actor Alec Baldwin and a co-defendant resigned Tuesday after Baldwin’s lawyers tried to disqualify him because he was a state legislator.
The decision by prosecutor Andrea Reep is the second major setback in the case against Baldwin. He previously waived a so-called five-year sentence enhancement after he admitted in an email to Baldwin’s lawyers that he abused the law.
“After much thought, I have made the difficult decision to step down as special counsel in the ‘Rust’ case,” Reeb said in a statement Tuesday.
“My priority in this case — and in every case I’ve prosecuted in my 25-year career — is to bring justice to the victim,” he said. “However, it has become clear that the best way for me to ensure that justice is served in this case is to step down so that the prosecution can focus on the evidence and facts that clearly demonstrate a complete disregard for basic safety protocols. The death of Halina Hutchins.”
“I will not allow questions about my work as a legislator and lawyer to obscure the real issue.”
Baldwin’s attorneys in February asked a judge to remove Reep from the case, saying New Mexico’s constitution prevents people from holding office in one branch of government while exercising the powers of another.
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