Mark Andrews of Los Angeles-based Where’s the Boards? has taken on West Coast and Texas representation for Independent Media, Los Angeles. Andrews’ firm has also added Katrina Freese as an associate….Minneapolis-headquartered commercial production house Twist has secured Los Angeles-based Rachel Finn and San Francisco’s Mary Saxon of independent rep firm FinnSaxon to cover the West Coast. Twist’s directors are Joe Schaak and Rich Michell….New York-based September Productions has added Jay Anderson to handle its Midwest representation….Win Peniston has come aboard the New York office of bicoastal/international marketing communications company Pittard Sullivan. He will serve in the newly created post of senior VP, business development and account services. Peniston will oversee and continue building the sales and marketing team, while also focusing on developing existing client relationships and adding staff to handle new clientele….615 Music Companies, Nashville and Los Angeles, has hired Randy Hart as its Northeast sales rep….
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More