Actor Alec Baldwin was accused of the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by the prosecution who started presenting the case to the jury on Wednesday. In October 2021, Baldwin was carrying a prop handgun at an essential rehearsal when it shot a live cartridge, killing Hutchins and injuring the director of the film. Prosecutors reportedly presented him as a “headstrong” actor who frequently ignored his responsibilities to ensure gun safety on the movie set, while the defence claimed that the death of the cinematographer was a consequence of other crew members’ negligence.
The actor allegedly “violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety” on multiple occasions and pulled the trigger that discharged a live round from a prop gun, according to special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, who made her opening statement to the jury on July 10, reports The Washington Post.
“When someone plays make-believe with a real gun in a real-life workplace, and while playing make-believe with that gun violates the cardinal rules of firearm safety, people’s lives are endangered and someone could be killed,” Ocampo was quoted by CNN as telling the jurors. She alleged Baldwin had consistently cocked and pointed firearms at individuals on set, had not taken a weapons training class seriously, and had “requested to be assigned the biggest gun available” for the Rust scene.
According to France 24, Ocampo emphasised that actors must adhere to certain safety regulations, including handling all firearms as if they were loaded, not pointing a handgun at someone else and never pulling the trigger until you’re ready to fire.
Additionally, Ocampo criticised him for neglecting to have armourer Hannah Gutierrez Reed inspect his rifle after she erroneously loaded it with a live round. Variety cited her as stating, “He pointed the gun at another human being, cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger in reckless disregard for Ms. Hutchins’ safety.”
Meanwhile, Defence lawyer Alex Spiro stated in his opening statement that Baldwin depended on Reed and first assistant director Dave Halls to ensure the pistol was secure and that it was not his duty to inspect it, Variety added.
Following the opening arguments, the jury saw police lapel camera footage that was captured just after the incident while Hutchins and the injured director Joel Souza were being attended to by medical personnel, according to the Washington Post. Hutchins, who was at the moment still alive, was surrounded by multiple individuals in one tumultuous scene.
If found guilty, Baldwin, 66, could face up to 18 months behind bars. Baldwin, who has denied pulling the trigger or knowing why the rifle had live ammo, pledged not guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter. The trial of Baldwin began on Wednesday, almost three years after Hutchins’ unintentional death at a church structure at Bonanza Creek Ranch in October 2021.
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