Alec Baldwin was accused of playing “make believe” with a deadly weapon as his trial for involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal shooting on the set of Western film “Rust” began on Wednesday.
Baldwin was holding a prop revolver at the tragic rehearsal in October 2021 when it discharged a live cartridge, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring the film’s director.
Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson began opening statements in a Santa Fe courtroom, painting a portrait of a powerful movie star who violated basic gun safety regulations and acted carelessly on set.
Baldwin told the jury that she played “make believe” with a real gun and violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety.
Hannah Gutierrez, the film’s armorer, was already convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Baldwin, 66, may face the same sentence if proven guilty.
On Wednesday, the actor went in court in the southwestern state of New Mexico, dressed in a dark suit and tie, and spoke quietly with his wife Hilaria and brother Stephen before the opening comments began.
He has stated that he was unaware the gun was loaded and denies pulling the revolver’s trigger.
His celebrity lawyer, Alex Spiro, has previously cautioned jurors that their sentiments toward Baldwin’s high-profile career, particularly his Donald Trump impersonations for “Saturday Night Live,” cannot influence their decisions.
Spiro’s team is anticipated to depict Baldwin as a victim who was not responsible for examining the firearm while working as an actor.
The judge determined that Baldwin’s additional status as a producer on “Rust” is irrelevant to the case.
Victim
The victim, Hutchins, is originally from Ukraine and grew up on a Soviet military post in the Arctic Circle.
She relocated to the United States, and her career as a Hollywood cinematographer was taking off when she was killed at the age of 42.
The incident occurred during a rehearsal in a small chapel on the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a classic Western film location, on a beautiful afternoon midway through the filming of “Rust.”
Baldwin was getting ready for a scene in which his character, a grizzled bandit caught inside the church by two marshals, brandishes his Colt six-shooter.
The actor claims he was told the gun was safe and was instructed by Hutchins to point the handgun at her camera when it misfired.
An FBI report refuted some of Baldwin’s claims, saying that the pistol could not have shot unless the trigger was pressed.
Prosecutors will introduce witnesses, including the gun’s manufacturer, to back their findings.
But the FBI testing harmed the weapon. And the defense said they were denied the opportunity to refute the report’s findings.
Live bullets are often prohibited on movie sets.
Witnesses
Following Wednesday’s opening arguments, the jury will hear testimony from witnesses, including Joel Souza, the “Rust” director injured in the incident.
Other probable witnesses include David Halls, the film’s first assistant director who pleaded guilty to carelessness in exchange for avoiding prison time, and Seth Kenney, a prop guns supplier.
It is unclear whether Baldwin intends to take the stand in his defense.Legal experts believe it would be a hazardous move, subjecting the supposedly temperamental actor to aggressive cross-examination.
Gutierrez, the armorer, declined to testify in her own defense.
Baldwin’s trial is set to finish on Friday of next week. Jury deliberations might last into the following week.