Alec Baldwin’s Manslaughter Trial Begins with Jury Selection in Connection to “Rust” Set Shooting

Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter trial for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” is set to begin with jury selection on Tuesday. The incident occurred in 2021 when Baldwin, who was practicing a cross-draw with a Colt .45 revolver in a church, unintentionally fired a live round that struck Hutchins. Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, pleaded not guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The trial is scheduled to last until July 19, with jury selection expected to take only one day. The prosecution had hoped to argue that Baldwin bore responsibility as a producer for unsafe conditions on the set. However, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommers ruled against including this argument during an evidence hearing, stating that it would be more prejudicial than probative. Defense attorney Luke Nikas argued that holding Baldwin liable for the shooting due to his role as a producer would be unfair and should be excluded.

The judge also made other evidentiary rulings, allowing footage from the “Rust” set showing Baldwin’s handling of the firearm to be admitted into evidence but excluding videos of him yelling or cursing at the crew. Baldwin’s defense team had filed several motions to dismiss his indictment, all of which were denied leading up to the trial.

Additionally, the judge denied a request from the state to use immunity to compel testimony from the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez. Gutierrez was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She appealed her conviction in May and asserted her Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination during a pretrial interview. The judge ruled that Gutierrez’s testimony was not necessary since others could provide similar information.

However, the judge did allow the testimony of a “Rust” crew member who claimed to have witnessed Baldwin pulling the trigger. Other witnesses who may be called to testify include David Halls, the film’s safety coordinator who received six months of unsupervised probation, and “Rust” director Joel Souza, who was also struck by the live bullet during the incident.

During Gutierrez’s trial, footage of Baldwin firing a gun after the director called “cut” was shown. The prosecutor emphasized Baldwin’s role in the shooting during her closing argument, stating that his conduct and lack of gun safety would need to be addressed.

This trial has garnered significant attention due to the involvement of a high-profile actor and the tragic death of a crew member. The outcome of the trial will likely have implications for the film industry’s practices regarding on-set safety and the accountability of producers and actors.