Pretrial Hearing Sets Stage for Alec Baldwin’s Involuntary Manslaughter Trial
The involuntary manslaughter trial of actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie is shaping up to be a contentious and high-stakes legal battle. New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer is presiding over a pretrial hearing where crucial decisions will be made about what evidence, testimony, and arguments will be admissible in court.
Prosecutors are pushing for key firearms experts to testify about Baldwin’s handling of the revolver and whether the gun was functioning properly before the tragic incident. They argue that Baldwin’s role as a co-producer on the film “Rust” is relevant and may have influenced his actions on set.
Defense attorneys, on the other hand, are trying to exclude considerations of Baldwin’s producer role, arguing that it is irrelevant to the negligence allegations. They also want to prevent the prosecution from introducing evidence from a state workplace safety investigation, which they claim is untrustworthy.
The trial is set to begin on July 9 with jury selection and is expected to last 10 days. Baldwin faces a felony count of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison if convicted. The armorer on set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the cinematographer’s death.
In a dramatic turn of events, Baldwin has pleaded not guilty and maintains that the shooting was accidental, claiming he followed instructions to point the gun towards the cinematographer without knowing it contained a live round. The defense team is also seeking to exclude discussions about a similar incident involving actor Brandon Lee’s death on the set of “The Crow.”
As both sides prepare for trial, tensions are running high with disputes over evidence, witness testimony, and the portrayal of events leading up to the fatal shooting. The outcome of this trial will have far-reaching implications for Baldwin and the future of on-set safety protocols in the film industry.
