Alec Baldwin thanks supporters for 'kindness' after dismissal of 'Rust' case

Alec Baldwin is speaking out after his "Rust" criminal case was abruptly dismissed Friday over allegations of suppressed evidence.

In a statement shared Saturday on Instagram, the "30 Rock" star, 66, thanked his supporters after a judge ended the criminal trial. Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter after a prop gun he was holding on the set of the movie "Rust" went off in 2021 during rehearsal, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

"There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now," Baldwin wrote, sharing a photo of himself in the courtroom.

"To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family," he added.

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Fans, and some celebrities, commented to show support for Baldwin.

"Stay strong," wrote Ricky Martin. "💪 so happy for you and the family."

"Bless you sir," commented Jeremy Renner, while Sean Hayes wrote, "Love you, pal. ❤️."

On Friday, Baldwin broke down in tears in court as First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said she was dismissing his involuntary manslaughter charge, ending his trial in a shocking twist. The actor's defense had alleged prosecutors concealed evidence "potentially pointing to an external source of the live ammunition" because it "would be favorable to Baldwin."

"The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings," Sommer said. "The defense is not in a position to test the state's theory as to the source of the live rounds that killed Ms. Hutchins."

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The judge also said that prosecutors "have continued to fail to disclose critical evidence to the defendant," and "the state's willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate."

Baldwin was photographed hugging his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, in court as the case came to a conclusion. The charge was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be refiled.

On Saturday, attorney Gloria Allred, who represents Hutchins' family, said she is still "dedicated to holding Alec Baldwin and the entire 'Rust' production accountable" in a civil lawsuit, which she said was not affected by the judge's decision, per KCAL.

The end of Baldwin's case came after Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on "Rust," was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY, and Andrew Hay, Reuters