'Rust' director shot by Alec Baldwin 'doesn't know' if justice was served after actor's case dismissal

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Rust' director Joel Souza has expressed doubts about whether justice has truly been served after the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin were dismissed for a fatal shooting on the set of the film.

Souza, who was injured on set when Baldwin's prop gun discharged, shared his uncertainty about the fairness of the outcome after armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter while Baldwin's charges were dismissed. 

This follows the tragic incident in 2021 on the New Mexico set of the Western film, where Baldwin’s prop gun fatally wounded cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured Souza himself.

Joel Souza questions justice after Alec Baldwin's case dismissed

In a revealing interview with Vanity Fair, Souza claimed, "I don’t know, and I don’t know what that even is anymore — I’ll be very honest with you about that." He then shared, "No one feels good about someone going to jail. If you feel good about that, take a hard look in the mirror."  

In the extensive interview, Souza described the moments just before he was hit by the bullet. They were rehearsing a scene where Baldwin’s character, positioned in a church, aims a gun towards the camera. Souza was positioned behind Hutchins to observe how the scene would appear.

He recounted, "I kept wanting to try to look over her right shoulder, to see that little monitor down below. To see what the angle looked like. But I couldn’t see over her. I got in behind her. When I tried to get a look, that’s when the gun fired. And then…yeah, all hell broke loose." 

He further detailed, "It felt like a horse kicked me in the shoulder or someone hit me with a bat. "The whole right side of my body went numb, completely numb, but it also hurt excruciatingly at the same time, if that makes sense."  

Souza then added, "It’s bizarre to have been shot. And then, who was holding the gun? That’s bizarre. I had this weird thought, like, God, I remember watching The Hunt for Red October in the movie theater when I was a kid. It’s like your older self whispers to your younger self, ‘Hey, that guy…someday…’" 

He concluded, "I had hoped it was a bad dream. It was just the beginning of the aftermath, and the beginning of a lot of grief for everybody. I was trying to pick up the pieces, such as they can be picked up,"

Alec Baldwin's case charges were dismissed

Alec Baldwin broke down in tears on Friday, July 12, after a judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against him in his 'Rust' shooting trial. 

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer explained that the dismissal was due to the late discovery of evidence that compromised the fairness of the trial. Prior to the jury's arrival on the third day of the trial, Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, argued for the case's dismissal, alleging that prosecutors had withheld crucial evidence regarding how live ammunition ended up on the set of the film 'Rust' in 2021. 

Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria, were visibly emotional as the New Mexico judge ruled to drop all charges against him with prejudice. The decision followed the revelation that the prosecution had withheld important material from the defense. In the courtroom, Baldwin and Hilaria embraced and shared smiles, while Hilaria laughed with those around her.