‘A botched prosecution’: Alec Baldwin’s trial gets shock ending fit for Hollywood

The high-stakes case, which saw the actor charged in the death of Halyna Hutchins, fell apart in a matter of hours. How it happened - and what comes next

When Alec Baldwin set out to make the western Rust in 2021, it was a passion project for the veteran actor. He co-created the story, served as a producer and starred as the film's lead Harland Rust, an outlaw with a bounty on his head.

Nearly three years on, the 66-year-old had assumed the role of criminal defendant, standing trial in New Mexico for involuntary manslaughter in the death of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the film's set.