The highly publicized trial of Alec Baldwin for the on-set shooting of the film Rust is scheduled to commence on Tuesday and is expected to last for 10 days. The shooting, which occurred in October 2021, resulted in the tragic death of 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Jury selection is set to begin on Tuesday, followed by opening statements on Wednesday. The trial is projected to conclude on July 19. If Baldwin is found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
Baldwin’s defense team is expected to argue that an actor is not responsible for checking the bullets of a gun, a stance supported by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. They will also claim that an FBI test caused irreparable damage to the gun, preventing them from examining it.
The prosecution, on the other hand, will present evidence that Baldwin was reckless in his handling of the weapon. Key witnesses set to testify include director Joel Souza, who was injured during the shooting, and crew member Zac Sneesby, who is expected to testify that he saw Baldwin pull the trigger.
Fans of the trial can watch it live on Court TV and other channels broadcasting the proceedings.
Baldwin’s trial comes just months after Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the 27-year-old armorer of Rust, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in the incident. Gutierrez-Reed was found responsible for turning a safe weapon into a lethal one.
A recent court filing has alleged that Baldwin engaged in horseplay with his gun and fired a blank round at a crew member prior to Hutchins’ death. The filing also claims that Baldwin was distracted during firearms training due to his family’s presence on FaceTime.
Despite the ongoing trial, Baldwin has announced the launch of a new reality show on TLC, which will star him and his family and premiere in 2025.
