Prosecutor's Office: Baldwin violated security regulations
Did Alec Baldwin recklessly handle a gun when a fatal shot was discharged from his prop gun on the "Rust" film set in 2021? Twelve jurors are expected to reach a verdict in the trial against the Hollywood star three years after the incident. On the opening day, videos show disturbing scenes from the crime scene.
With a serious look and visible tension, Alec Baldwin follows the opening statement of his attorney. In the trial against the 66-year-old Hollywood star, the question at hand is whether Baldwin, at the fatal shooting of a camera woman on the Western film set "Rust," recklessly handled the gun and therefore deserves to be incarcerated. "There will be no single witness or evidence in this trial that Alec knew or could have known that the gun was loaded with a live round," defense attorney Alex Spiro argued before the jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"Actors do not check the weapons, safety is ensured by specialized personnel," the lawyer continued to the twelve jurors. The death of camera woman Halyna Hutchins was a tragedy. However, the responsibility for ensuring that weapons are handled safely at film shoots lies with armorer and other crew members.
No actor had ever removed live ammunition from a prop gun, Spiro further argued. Baldwin had only done his job and acted. Twelve jurors are to make their decision in the eight-day trial. Baldwin pleaded not guilty. He faces up to 18 months in prison.
The prosecution refers to an accident on the "Rust" film set. On October 21, 2021, the main actor Baldwin, as per script, drew a revolver for rehearsals. Instead of blank cartridges, live ammunition was discharged. The bullet hit the 42-year-old camera woman Hutchins and then the director Joel Souza in the shoulder. Hutchins died shortly thereafter, Souza sustained lighter injuries.
Baldwin was seen in TV images from the courtroom with a serious expression. He wore a dark suit, tie, and a lavender shirt, and at times put on his glasses to read documents. His wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and one of his brothers, actor Stephen Baldwin, were also present in the courtroom.
"The armorer had little experience"
Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson presented a different version of events to the jury: "The evidence will show that the one who played with a real weapon and violated the rules of firearm safety was the defendant, Alexander Baldwin." He is therefore guilty of reckless manslaughter.
Johnson highlighted the role of already convicted armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in her opening statement to the jury. Many crew members were aware that Gutierrez-Reed had little experience as an armorer. Nevertheless, Baldwin "never once, when he had the gun in his hand, performed a safety check."
The actor had also mishandled the gun in numerous other instances. Baldwin had pointed the gun at people. "You will see how he placed his finger on the trigger, although his finger should not have been on the trigger," Johnson continued to the jury.
Lawyer Spiro argued against it: "On a film set, one can pull the trigger." If Baldwin had done so - even if he cannot remember it - it does not make him guilty. His client could not have known that the weapon was loaded with a sharp bullet, which should not be allowed on sets. The revolver was handed over to the star from films like "The Hunt for Red October" and "Blue Jasmine" for testing.
After the opening statements, the first witness in the trial was called: a policeman. Baldwin and the other parties were shown several videos during interrogation, which showed the chaos and confusion after the fatal shot. In a particularly intense recording, people were seen fighting for Hutchins' life, who lay lifeless on the ground.
Weapons specialist serves prison sentence
Judge Mary Marlowe has set the trial to last until mid-July. Cameras are allowed in the courtroom - the proceedings will be made accessible to the public via livestream. Among the expected witnesses are filmmakers, investigators, and weapons experts. It is still unknown whether Baldwin himself will testify.
In a separate trial, weapons specialist Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapon safety on the "Rust" set, had already been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. She had loaded the weapon with live ammunition. In April, she was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
In light of the defense argument, actor Alec Baldwin, despite his role in the incident, was not responsible for checking the weapon's safety on the "Rust" set, as that responsibility fell to the armorer and other crew members. However, prosecutor Erlinda Johnson argues differently, claiming that Baldwin, with little experience from Hannah Gutierrez-Reed as the armorer, recklessly handled the gun, violated firearm safety rules, and placed his finger on the trigger, which resulted in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
