Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson resigned from Alec Baldwin's manslaughter case on Friday, citing her belief that the state should have voluntarily dismissed the charges. Her resignation preceded Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer's decision to dismiss the case "with prejudice," barring any future charges against Baldwin for the same offense.

The case arose from the tragic accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust" in 2021, where Baldwin was handling a prop revolver. Earlier in March, the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, had been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Ocampo Johnson expressed dismay upon discovering that critical evidence, specifically related to the ammunition, had not been disclosed to Baldwin's defense team. "It was evident that this should have been disclosed," she explained to NBC News.

Regarding her resignation, Ocampo Johnson disagreed with the decision to conduct a public hearing on the issue, asserting that the case should have been dismissed outright. Her colleague, Kari Morrissey, suggested that Ocampo Johnson's resignation was partly due to her objection to the public hearing, clarifying that Ocampo Johnson believed no hearing should have occurred at all.

Emphasizing her dedication to the criminal case against Baldwin, Ocampo Johnson highlighted compelling video evidence showing mishandling of the firearm shortly before Hutchins' tragic death. She underscored industry standards Baldwin should have followed, such as never pointing firearms at people and treating them as loaded at all times.

While affirming her belief in the case against Baldwin, Ocampo Johnson stressed that defense attorneys, not prosecutors, determine the relevance of evidence to their defense strategy. She maintained that any failure to disclose evidence was unintentional and should have been promptly corrected.

Following the dismissal of Baldwin's case, Ocampo Johnson commented on its potential impact on Gutierrez-Reed's situation, although she was not directly involved in that prosecution. She expressed skepticism that the undisclosed ammunition would affect Gutierrez-Reed's conviction, reiterating its serious procedural omission in Baldwin's case.

As the fallout from these events continues, the legal and public ramifications are shaping broader implications for those involved and the film industry as a whole.