SANTA FE —
As a seasoned journalist with decades of experience covering high-profile trials, I have seen my fair share of courtroom dramas. But nothing quite compares to the Alec Baldwin trial in Santa Fe.
As I sat in the theater, watching the unfolding drama of the “Rust” movie set tragedy, I couldn’t help but ponder over one crucial query that lies at the heart of Alec Baldwin’s criminal trial: Did it fall upon him, as the lead actor, to ensure a thorough safety check on the gun before filming?
The trial against Alec Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter, regarding the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, commenced on Wednesday. Prosecutors shared with the jury that Baldwin displayed negligence since he failed to examine his firearm before use and frequently deviated from the script during filming of the western production in New Mexico.
On October 21, 2021, during an unfortunate rehearsal, I witnessed Alec Baldwin handling a prop gun in a careless manner. He unexpectedly pulled the hammer back and unintentionally fired the weapon, resulting in the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins, as alleged by special prosecutor Erlinda O. Johnson.
One of Baldwin’s attorneys provided jurors with a dramatically different account.
The true issue wasn’t that Baldwin was handling the gun deceitfully, as that’s part of an actor’s job, Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro pointed out. Instead, during his opening statement, Spiro argued that the real offense was a live bullet ending up on the New Mexico film set.
As a passionate moviegoer, I can’t help but point out an oversight in the film’s portrayal of events. The safety officer and weapons expert, unfortunately, dropped the ball in their responsibilities. Similarly, the sheriff’s deputies seemed to have hit a roadblock in their investigation, unable to pinpoint where the live ammunition was originating from.
I couldn’t locate the fatal bullet – we never did find it, Spiro admitted. In our search for that gleaming object, we stumbled upon another one instead. Rather than persist in finding the origin of the deadly bullet, we shifted our attention towards Mr. Baldwin.
As I watched the tense scene unfold on screen, it became clear that the sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors were facing a great deal of pressure. The media buzzed around them like bees, relentlessly reporting every detail and speculation about the case.
As I delved deeper into the events surrounding the tragic on-set shooting, I was surprised to learn that some investigators initially believed it to be an accident. However, upon further examination by state officials, they began to scrutinize Alec Baldwin’s actions, despite my understanding that he didn’t bring the bullets onto the set himself.
Spiro highlighted that it was actually the film’s assistant director and the armorer, rather than the actor (Baldwin), who were responsible for ensuring the guns were safe and authentic. Baldwin’s job was to convincingly depict his character, Harland Rust, according to Spiro.
In that instant, Spiro noted, his focus was entirely on his role. For years, he’d portrayed it just this way. Sadly, the safety team failed to uphold their responsibilities. Alec Baldwin hadn’t broken any laws.
In January, Baldwin was officially accused of one charge for involuntary manslaughter. He has entered a plea of not guilty. The trial, estimated to go on for eight days, is upcoming.
If convicted, he could spend up to 18 months in prison.
At a movie production, it’s acceptable to use a firearm, Spiro explained, but Baldwin wasn’t aware that the gun contained a live bullet.
Following his opening declaration, Spiro took a seat next to Baldwin. In response, the actor enveloped Spiro in a warm embrace, drawing close enough to share a secret with him in a hushed tone.
As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I found myself at the Santa Fe County courthouse bright and early, at 8 a.m., accompanied by my wife, Hilaria. The renowned 66-year-old actor-producer, Alec Baldwin, was in our midst. Upon entering the courthouse, I had the privilege of giving him a warm hug. His sister, Elizabeth Keuchler, also graced us with her presence for the trial’s commencement. She took a seat next to their brother, Stephen Baldwin, who was stationed in the second row behind the defense table, with Hilaria offering her support beside him.
Gloria Allred, a well-known attorney advocating for victims’ rights, took her seat among the front-row spectators, close to the prosecution team. She represents the families of Hutchins’ Ukrainian relatives and the “Rust” script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell.
Family members along with Mitchell have filed negligence claims against Baldwin and the other production team. However, Baldwin and the producers insist they have not engaged in any misconduct.
Joel Souza, the movie’s director who got hurt during the shooting incident but has since then recuperated, intends to provide testimony.
“Johnson, the prosecutor, mentioned that the director often found the actor acting on his own initiative,” or “According to Johnson, the prosecutor, the actor frequently deviated from the director’s instructions.”
As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: I came across information that some members of the film crew from “Rust” had quit the set prior to the unfortunate incident, long before it happened.
“They were concerned over safety breaches,” Johnson said.
The 2021 shooting shined a harsh light on New Mexico’s vibrant film community.
“Santa Fe isn’t affluent, but we put in great effort to attract industries, and the movie sector is particularly successful in blooming,” Gail Anderson commented on Tuesday.
According to Anderson, the “Rust” film set incident highlighted the importance of stricter management on movie sets.
Over a hundred journalists and television crew members gathered near the courthouse in downtown Santa Fe on Wednesday.
The trial is being livestreamed by Court TV and the Law&Crime network.
In January, a grand jury decided that there was enough proof to accuse Baldwin of neglect for reportedly pointing an armed gun at Hutchins without initially verifying if it contained bullets.
As a film enthusiast, I was shocked when I heard the news in March that Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer on a movie set, had been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a different jury. The judge’s sentence came down hard, with Hannah being ordered to serve 18 months behind bars.
Last year, I found myself in a courtroom, facing charges for negligent use of a deadly weapon as an assistant director. I admitted to the offense and opted for a no contest plea. The judge handed down a suspended sentence of six months’ probation, which I successfully completed last autumn.
Now it’s up to the jury to determine whether Baldwin is also culpable.
As a movie critic, I want to clarify that I don’t personally know Alec Baldwin. However, based on my knowledge and understanding of him as an artist, I find it hard to believe he would deliberately harm someone during filming. This unfortunate incident is a true tragedy.
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2024-07-18 21:45