Jury selection begins as Alec Baldwin faces involuntary manslaughter trial over Rust shooting
9 July 2024, 14:09 | Updated: 9 July 2024, 16:32
Jury selection began today in Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film set of Rust in 2021.
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Baldwin, 66, could face up to 18 months in prison if the selected jurors unanimously decide he committed a felony when the revolver he was pointing at Hutchins went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
The actor has argued the gun fired accidentally after he followed instructions to point it at Hutchins, who stood behind the camera, without knowing it contained live rounds.
He also claims he pulled back the hammer, not the trigger, before it fired.
The Beetlejuice and 30 Rock star made his first court appearance on Monday in a pretrial hearing, where Judge Mary Marlowe Summer ruled Baldwin’s role as co-producer of the film is not relevant to the trial.
Baldwin’s defence is expected to argue it was the responsibility of other crew members to ensure the gun was safe, not his.
Prosecutors have branded this “absurd.”
Judge Marlowe Summer said the high-profile nature of this trial should not delay the selection of a jury and opening statements are likely to begin by Wednesday.
“I’m not worried about being able to pick a jury in one day,” the Judge remarked.
“I think we’re going to pick a jury by the afternoon.”
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Baldwin’s attorney Alex Spiro, echoed this, saying: “I’ve never not picked a jury in one day. I can’t imagine that this would be the first time.”
Earlier this year, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, a weapons adviser on the set of Rust, was jailed for 18 months for involuntary manslaughter.
Gutierrez-Reed had pleaded not guilty, but was found to have allowed a live bullet to get into the gun through negligence. Baldwin then used the gun to accidentally shoot dead Ms Hutchins and wound director Joel Souza.
As part of the jury selection process, potential candidates will attend the courtroom for questioning today, with cameras being turned off to protect their privacy.
Given the high-profile nature of this case, they will be interviewed and questioned over potential conflicts.
After Hutchins’ death, reports claimed there had been two accidental firings on the film’s set before the fatal incident occurred.
Some crew members had reportedly resigned the day before her death, citing safety concerns.
