Alec Baldwin’s recklessness led to shooting on ‘Rust’ set, court hears – National

As opening statements began Wednesday in the much-anticipated hall Rust trial of Alec BaldwinProsecutors and defense attorneys have tried to portray him in different ways: as a negligent security executive and as an innocent actor playing a role.

Baldwin, 66, is on trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on involuntary manslaughter charges in the October 2021 shooting. shot dead on set by cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Hutchins, 42, was struck and killed by a single “live shot” fired from Baldwin’s gun while he was rehearsing on camera. Rust Writer and director Joel Souza was also injured in the incident.

Baldwin and his attorneys have repeatedly insisted that the shooting was accidental and that real ammunition should never have been brought onto the set. Regardless, prosecutors said Baldwin acted recklessly and violated “basic gun safety rules.”

Baldwin, who has pleaded not guilty, is the star and co-producer of the western drama. RustHe faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

“When someone is playing pretend with a real gun in a real workplace, and in playing pretend with that gun they are violating the cardinal rules of firearm safety, people’s lives are in danger and someone could be killed,” U.S. Attorney Erlinda Ocampo Johnson told the Supreme Court. Jury composed of 16 members.

Johnson called the deal “simple” and “straightforward.”

The courtroom was packed with spectators and members of the media. Baldwin’s wife Hilaria, his brother Stephen and his older sister Elizabeth Keuchler were also seated in the gallery.

When it came time for the defense to make its opening statements, attorney Alex Spiro argued that a gun must be safe before it reaches an actor’s hand on a film or television set.

Baldwin’s attorneys will try to convince the jury that responsibility for Hutchins’ death lies elsewhere, specifically the person who brought live ammunition to the production and the person who handed Baldwin the loaded gun.

“An actor’s job is to act, to rehearse, to choreograph your movements, to memorize your lines,” Spiro said. “Alec Baldwin committed no crime; he was an actor who acted.”

“No one saw him intentionally pull the trigger.”

Spiro argued that even if Baldwin had pulled the trigger, he should not have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

“On a movie set, you have the right to pull the trigger,” Spiro said. “That doesn’t make him a homicide.”

He said that other people on set – namely the film’s directors gunsmith already convicted and the first assistant director — are responsible for ensuring the safety of the weapons.

Prosecutors disagree. They say Baldwin was negligent and failed to perform a safety check on the Colt .45, while keeping his finger on the hammer and trigger as he pointed the weapon at people behind the camera.

Baldwin said the gun malfunctioned and he did not pull the trigger. He also claimed he did not know the gun contained live ammunition.

Testimony began Wednesday, with Constable Nicholas LeFleur taking the stand first. He responded to the initial emergency call and was the first officer to arrive on scene.

The jury was shown LeFleur’s body camera footage of the incident, which showed first responders rushing to treat Hutchins and Souza after the shooting.

Souza, who was shot in the shoulder, is heard screaming in pain.

Hutchins was hit by a bullet under her right arm, which punctured her right lung and lacerated her spinal cord. Body camera footage shows her lying on the ground surrounded by emergency workers. She died later that day, but Souza survived.

Later in the video, LeFleur can be seen telling Baldwin not to talk to other potential witnesses, but Baldwin does so repeatedly.

The trial’s second witness, former sheriff’s lieutenant Tim Benavidez, testified that he retrieved the revolver after the shooting. He acknowledged handling the Colt .45 carefully for safety reasons, but did not wear gloves or take meticulous forensic precautions as might be required in a homicide investigation.

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in January. He had been charged with the same offense a year earlier, but that charge was dropped as prosecutors continued to review the evidence.

In March, Rust Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of Manslaughter and sentenced to serve an 18-month prison term. Prosecutors said in an earlier trial that Gutierrez-Reed unknowingly brought live ammunition onto the Rust The ranch settled and claimed the bullets persisted for at least 12 days until the fatal shooting.

Rust’The film’s assistant director, Dave Halls, pleaded not guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon in exchange for his testimony.

Gutierrez-Reed told the court she verified that the gun Baldwin fired was loaded with dummy bullets before passing it to Halls, who gave it to the actor.

— with files from the Associated Press

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