In a dramatic turn of events, the involuntary manslaughter case against "Rust" star Alec Baldwin was dismissed by the judge on Friday after his defense attorneys raised serious concerns regarding the handling of evidence by New Mexico law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Amid the highly scrutinized trial, one of the state's special prosecutors, Erlinda O. Johnson, resigned from the case.

Throughout the trial in Santa Fe, Baldwin's lawyers sought to shift the focus away from whether he pulled the trigger of the gun that resulted in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of "Rust." Instead, they directed attention towards a pivotal question: the origin of the lethal bullet that claimed Hutchins' life.

Baldwin's legal team repeatedly accused law enforcement officers and prosecutors of mishandling the case, alleging that crucial evidence that could help solve the central mystery surrounding the shooting was deliberately concealed. One such piece of evidence was a batch of unexamined bullets turned over to sheriff's investigators by a potential witness several months ago, but never shared with Baldwin's defense team.

During a hearing on Friday, Baldwin's attorney, Luke Nikas, demanded the case be dismissed, presenting the potential evidence related to the origin of the live ammunition. Nikas argued that this evidence was critical and should have been disclosed to the defense team. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office had received the evidence in question three months ago from a retired Arizona police officer who labeled the shells and bullets as potential evidence in the "Rust" shooting.

The hearing took an unusual turn when the evidence, containing .45-caliber bullets, was brought into the courtroom and examined by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer wearing blue latex gloves. Some of the bullets introduced on Friday were stamped with Starline Brass, similar to the lead bullets found at the "Rust" set. Baldwin's defense team asserted that the charges against him must be dismissed, as defense attorneys are entitled to be provided with evidence that could be beneficial to their case.

Special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey argued that the bullets produced by the retired officer had only surfaced after the conviction of armorer Hannah Gutierrez for involuntary manslaughter. Morrissey mentioned that the officer, Troy Teske, was a close friend of Gutierrez's stepfather, Thell Reed, a well-known Hollywood armorer and sharpshooter. Morrissey contended that these new bullets lacked evidentiary value.

Despite Morrissey's objections, Judge Marlowe Sommer expressed concerns over the lack of proper disclosure to the defense team and subsequently dismissed the day of testimony for the jury. She decided to hold a hearing specifically regarding the handling of the bullets provided by Teske.

The issue of potential evidence mishandling by prosecutors and investigators has been a recurring theme throughout the trial. Baldwin's attorneys have accused them of burying important evidence, while prosecutors maintain that there have been no violations of their obligations.

As the hearing continued, Seth Kenney, who supplied "Rust" with ammunition and guns, including the one used by Baldwin, took the witness stand. Baldwin's attorneys have insinuated that Kenney might be the source of the live rounds used on set, an assertion Kenney vehemently denied both during the trial and previously.

The lead detective in the case, Alexandria Hancock, testified that Teske had shown up at the Santa Fe courthouse during Gutierrez's trial but did not wait around, instead taking the bullets to the sheriff's office. Hancock stated that she repeatedly tried to obtain a witness statement from Teske but received no response.

Judge Marlowe Sommer critically questioned Hancock, asking why she had not personally viewed the bullets when Teske brought them to the sheriff's office. The judge also expressed her concern over the decision to assign the Teske bullets a new case number.

The trial's progress has been marred by questions surrounding the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office's investigation into the shooting incident. As the legal proceedings continue, the events surrounding the accidental shooting on the set of "Rust" remain shrouded in controversy, with evidence handling and the origin of the lethal bullet becoming central to the case.