Tragedy on Film Set - Baldwin defends himself in "Rust" process for manslaughter
In the trial against Alec Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter of a cinematographer, the defense presents the incident as a tragedy, for which Baldwin bears no responsibility. "Alec Baldwin did not commit a crime. He was an actor playing his role", lawyer Alex Spiro stated in court in Santa Fe (New Mexico).
With a serious look and visible tension, Baldwin follows the opening statement of his lawyer. In this trial, the question at hand is whether the 66-year-old actor handled the fatal shot to a cinematographer on the set of the Western "Rust" 2021 recklessly and therefore should be incarcerated.
The indictment refers to a shooting incident on the set of "Rust." On October 21, 2021, the main actor Baldwin pulled the trigger of a revolver as directed by the director. However, instead of harmless blank rounds, live ammunition was discharged. A bullet struck cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (42) and then hit the director Joel Souza in the shoulder. Hutchins died shortly thereafter, and Souza sustained lighter injuries.
Responsibility on Set Employees
"There will be no single witness or any evidence in this trial that Alec knew or could have known that the weapon was loaded with a live round," defense attorney Spiro emphasized. "Actors do not check the weapons; safety is ensured by specialized personnel." However, the responsibility for ensuring that weapons are safely handled during filming lies with weapon masters and other set employees.
No actor has ever removed live ammunition from a prop gun, Spiro added. Baldwin had no reason to hold himself accountable but had merely done his job. Twelve jurors will decide the case, which is scheduled for eight trial days. Baldwin pleaded not guilty, and he faces up to 18 months in prison.
Lilac Shirt and Serious Expression
Baldwin was seen on TV images from the courtroom with a serious expression. He wore a dark suit, tie, and a lilac shirt and occasionally put on his glasses to read documents. According to attending journalists, his wife, Hilaria Baldwin (40), and one of his brothers, actor Stephen Baldwin (58), were also present.
Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson presented a different version of Baldwin's responsibility to the jury: "The evidence will show that the one who played with a real gun and violated the safety rules was the defendant Alexander Baldwin." He is therefore guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Johnson highlighted the role of already convicted armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in her opening statement. Many crew members were aware that Gutierrez-Reed had little experience as an armorer. Nevertheless, Baldwin "never once, when he had this weapon in his hand, performed a safety check."
The actor had also mishandled the weapon in many other instances. Baldwin showed the weapon to people. "You will see that he placed his finger on the trigger, even though his finger should not have been on the trigger," Johnson continued to the jury.
"You can pull the trigger on a film set"
Lawyer Spiro countered: "You can pull the trigger on a film set." If Baldwin had done this - even if he couldn't remember - it would not make him guilty. His client had not known that the weapon was loaded with a live bullet, which should not be present on sets. The revolver had been inspected and handed over to the star from films like "The Hunt for Red October" and "Blue Jasmine."
After the opening statements, two policemen and a crime scene technician were called as the first witnesses in the case on a Wednesday. During the interrogations, Baldwin and the other trial participants were repeatedly shown video clips that showed the chaos and confusion following the fatal shooting. In a particularly intense recording, people were seen struggling around Hutchins' lifeless body on the ground.
Previous Conviction against the Armorer
Judge Mary Marlowe has set the trial to last until mid-July. Cameras are allowed in the courtroom - the proceedings will be made publicly accessible via livestream. Among the witnesses expected in the stand are filmmakers, investigators, and firearms experts. It is still unknown whether Baldwin himself will testify.
In a separate trial, the armorer Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapon safety on the "Rust" set, was already found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. She had loaded the gun with live ammunition. In April, she was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
- The defense argues that Alec Baldwin, in the United States of America's court process, is not responsible for the tragedy that led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Film set of "Rust" in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Lawyer Alex Spiro stated in court that Baldwin was merely an actor playing his role and did not commit a crime.
- The trial revolves around whether Baldwin handled the fatal 'Todesschuss' (death shot) recklessly, discharging a live bullet instead of a harmless blank round, leading to Hutchins' death and Joel Souza's injury.
- Spiro emphasized that no actor has ever removed live ammunition from a prop gun, and the responsibility for weapon safety lies with set employees.
- Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson presents Baldwin's responsibility differently, asserting that he violated safety rules by handling a real gun with live ammunition.
- Baldwin's lawyer, Spiro, counters that Baldwin did not know the weapon was loaded with a live bullet, which should not be present on sets.
- During the trial, it was revealed that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer responsible for weapon safety, was already found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for loading the gun with live ammunition in a separate trial.
- The tragedy on the "Rust" set resulted in a significant loss for Hutchins' Mother and the movie industry, causing a broader discussion around the importance of safety protocols on film sets.
