A former prosecutor on ‘Rust’ who resigned before Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case was dismissed has spoken out about her decision and the actor’s “reckless” behavior on set.
Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, who resigned just before the charges were dropped, claims she saw evidence of Baldwin “horsing around” with the gun used to kill camerawoman Halyna Hutchins.
According to Johnson, this alleged game involved Baldwin using another person as a target for blanks.
She stressed the seriousness of such actions, saying: NewsNation“You don’t do that with real weapons.”
Johnson insists her resignation was not dramatic, but rather because she felt a moral obligation given the new evidence she uncovered.
A former ‘Rust’ prosecutor who resigned before the dismissal of Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case has spoken out about her decision and the actor’s “reckless” behavior on set
Erlinda Ocampo Johnson (pictured), who resigned just before the charges were dropped, claims to have seen evidence that Baldwin was “horsing around” with the gun that killed camerawoman Halyna Hutchins.
“I left because I became aware of this evidence late yesterday afternoon when the public was made aware of it.”
This evidence, which the judge said was not provided to the defense, allegedly included ammunition given to police by a crew member.
“I came on the case at the end of April, so I had to familiarize myself. I was not involved in the Hannah Gutierrez case at all. And so I had no knowledge that this person had brought this ammunition to the police station and given it to the officers. I found out all that yesterday.”
She emphasizes her ethical and moral obligations as a prosecutor, including ensuring that all evidence is presented.
When Johnson discovered that evidence had been withheld, he felt compelled to recuse himself before the trial.
“When the motion hearing started, my position was… we have an obligation as prosecutors, we have an obligation not only to the people, but to the defendant and our obligation is to make sure that all of the evidence is turned over,” she said.
“We are not allowed to dictate what the defense is going to be. Our job is to guarantee transparency and make sure the suspect has everything the Public Prosecution Service has collected. What they do with it is up to them.”
When asked if she had any regrets, Johnson said, “Did I think there was inappropriate behavior in terms of handling this weapon? I think so.”
Baldwin himself reportedly became emotional when the judge finally dismissed the charges.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the actor broke his silence after the charges were dropped.
“There are too many people who have supported me to just say thank you now,” he wrote on Saturday.
“To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness to my family.”
This brings an end to a nearly three-year legal saga following the fatal shooting on the set of the film ‘Rust’ in October 2021.
The film’s gunmaker, Hannah Guttierez-Reed, was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served an 18-month prison sentence.
Baldwin’s lawsuit was originally filed in 2023 but later dropped. The lawsuit was refiled in January 2024.