A defense attorney addressed jurors on Wednesday, stating that the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was an “unspeakable tragedy.” However, the attorney emphasized that “Alec Baldwin committed no crime; he was an actor simply acting.”
Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro emphasized during his opening statement in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, courtroom that Baldwin, who is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, was just following the standard procedures actors follow on the set of the film “Rust,” where the incident occurred in October 2021.
“I don’t need to explain further, as you have all witnessed gunfights in movies,” Spiro told the jury.
Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson countered in her opening statement that Baldwin disregarded safety protocols and mishandled a revolver before the shooting.
“The evidence will demonstrate that the defendant, Alexander Baldwin, played around with a real gun and ignored basic firearm safety rules,” Ocampo Johnson stated.
Spiro argued that these safety rules are not as stringent on a movie set.
“Safety measures must always be in place before a gun is placed in an actor’s hands on a movie set,” Spiro informed the jury.
The first witness called was the law enforcement officer who arrived at the scene after the shooting. Footage from the body camera of Nicholas LeFleur, a former Santa Fe county sheriff’s deputy, depicted the frantic attempts to save Hutchins as Baldwin watched somberly in the courtroom.
During the trial, Spiro tried to show that the first responders did not treat the scene as a major crime. Ocampo Johnson detailed the events leading to Hutchins’ death, claiming that Baldwin ignored safety checks and fired a live bullet at her.
In his defense, Baldwin claimed the gun discharged accidentally while following instructions to aim at Hutchins, unaware that it contained live ammunition.
Spiro underscored that safety responsibilities rested with the film’s armorer and assistant director, not Baldwin.
The trial will delve into the weapon’s mechanics and whether it could have fired without intentional trigger pull, with contrasting views from the prosecution and defense.
Attorney Gloria Allred, present in court, represents individuals in a civil lawsuit against Baldwin over the incident. The trial continues with the jury closely following the evidence presented.
