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Attorney of “Rust” cinematographer’s family says Alec Baldwin case dismissal “strengthens our resolve to pursue justice”
The attorney for the family of the cinematographer killed on “Rust” movie set spoke out on Saturday, a day after a judge dismissed actor Alec Baldwin’s charge of involuntary manslaughter following the defense team’s accusation prosecutors withheld evidence.
Gloria Allred, an attorney for Halyna Hutchins’ parents and sister, appeared outside of the courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico where the trial was held. Allred said she “respectfully disagrees” with the court’s decision and regrets that the court did not give other options that would have allowed the criminal prosecution to succeed.
“The dismissal only strengthens our resolve to pursue justice in the civil case that we have filed against him in Santa Fe, New Mexico,” Allred said. She said the family – who live in Ukraine where Hutchins’ was born and raised – has yet to hear from Baldwin or his attorneys.
Baldwin, who cried as the judge announced the charges were dismissed, wrote in a social media post on Saturday, “There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now. To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.”
Baldwin, 66, would have faced 18 months in prison if convicted.
The trial, which opened with jury selection on Monday for the 2021 shooting, took a bizarre turn right before the dismissal at the end of the week. Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson resigned and fellow prosecutor Kari Morrissey called herself as a witness.
The judge sent the jury home earlier in the day Friday while prosecutors argued over the defense’s motion for dismissal, which the judge later granted. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors in the trial. The defense argued that prosecutors hid evidence from them about ammunition that may be related to the shooting.
Allred said the judge’s decision “is devastating to the family in Ukraine who mourn her loss every day.”
“We are going to fight to the end for Halyna Hutchins,” she said.
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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