SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Recently, two new special prosecutors joined the ‘Rust’ case involving actor Alec Baldwin and several others. But who are these prosecutors?
Actor-producer Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed are facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the October 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The two new faces leading the prosecution against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed are private attorneys Kari T. Morrissey and Jason J. Lewis. They were chosen by the First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies.
Morrissey is an Albuquerque-based private attorney who has been practicing for 22 years, according to a public relations firm working with the prosecutors. Morrissey received her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and her J.D. from UNM’s law school.
Morrissey’s main focus has been criminal defense and civil rights-related cases, and she has experience from hundreds of trials. She also has experience teaching law at both the University of New Mexico and in continuing education settings.
Jason J. Lewis got his bachelor’s from New Mexico State University and also received his J.D. from UNM’s law school. He’s been practicing law for more than two decades at both the state and federal levels.
Lewis’s work has focused on labor and employment cases. For example, he’s represented the Federation of Indian Service Employees, a labor union group, and has helped various state agencies in legal matters.
But Lewis also has experience with criminal cases. His experience includes DWI cases, homicides, and drug cases.
By bringing in two private attorneys to be special prosecutors, the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office will be able to focus on the many cases they’re in charge of while still allowing the ‘Rust’ case to have a dedicated prosecution team.
“My responsibility to the people of the First Judicial District is greater than any one case, which is why I have chosen to appoint a special prosecutor in the ‘Rust’ case. Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis will unflinchingly pursue justice in the death of Halyna Hutchins on behalf of the people of First Judicial District,” Carmack-Altwies said in a press release.
