Prosecutors in New Mexico dismissed charges filed against actor Alec Baldwin, for the accidental shooting of a movie cinematographer in 2021. Mr. Baldwin was facing reckless homicide charges, a felony offense carrying a 1 to 5 year prison term in New Mexico. Special prosecutors dismissed the charges “without prejudice”, in light of new evidence that the gun fired by Baldwin may have been altered. If the firearm had indeed been altered, it would seriously undermine the prosecutor’s contention that the gun fired was fully functioning. When a case is dismissed “without prejudice”, the prosecution then has the right to re-file charges. However, criminal charges are rarely re-filed unless new evidence supporting the charges comes to light.
What is a Pre-Trial Conference in a Legal Case?
I have often found myself telling a client, "our next step in the process is to attend the pre-trial conference". The problem is that I never really explained what a pre-trial conference is, or what happens at a pre-trial conference. In plain English, a pre-trial...
