AceShowbiz - Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter case stemming from the fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" has officially ended. On Monday, December 23, the Santa Fe District Attorney's Office announced that special prosecutor Kari Morrissey had withdrawn the state's notice of appeal against the actor.

The appeal sought to reinstate the charges dismissed last July by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer. The dismissal came after revelations that police and prosecutors had concealed evidence from the defense, including a cache of bullets.

Baldwin's attorneys, Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas, hailed the decision, stating that it vindicated their client's position that he committed no crime. They emphasized that the rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.

"Today's decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning - this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime," they said. "The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico."

Morrissey expressed disappointment with the court's decision but respected it. She stated that she believed the importance of the concealed evidence had been misconstrued by the defense.

The decision to drop the appeal follows months of legal wrangling. The New Mexico attorney general was reluctant to aggressively pursue the state's argument, leading to the prosecutor's office acknowledging barriers in its efforts to prosecute Baldwin fully.

While the criminal charges against Baldwin have been dismissed, the Hutchins family is continuing to pursue a civil case against him and the film's producers in state court in New Mexico. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who loaded the live bullet into Baldwin's gun, is serving an 18-month sentence for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the incident.