The trial against Alec Baldwin has begun. The Hollywood star is portrayed as someone who disregards rules and takes little consideration for safety.
At the beginning of the trial, which is taking place in Santa Fe in the state of New Mexico, the prosecutor repeated that Alec Baldwin's way of "pretending" to handle the weapon during the filming of the movie "Rust" led to real danger and the death of photographer Halyna Hutchins.
According to the prosecutor, Baldwin was nonchalant when it came to rules and showed disinterest in safety management. He is also said to have asked for the largest pistol, and during a rehearsal, allowed others to film him while he ran around and shot with the weapon.
Disinterested in safety
In behind-the-scenes footage, the prosecutor claims that one can see how disinterested the actor is in basic firearm safety. How he cocks the hammer when he's not supposed to, and puts his finger on the trigger when he shouldn't.
In Alec Baldwin's defense, the actor's lawyer claims that Baldwin was only doing what actors do.
"He has to be able to take the weapon and use it in the way the person he's playing would have," said the lawyer.
This includes pressing the trigger, according to the lawyer, who claims that it's not manslaughter even if Baldwin had intentionally fired the weapon. "On a film set, you get to press the trigger."
Weapon handlers
Baldwin's defense claims that it's the weapon handlers who bear the responsibility. According to the lawyer, it was double-checked by the film's responsible personnel that the pistol was harmless.
"He (Baldwin) didn't mess with it, he didn't load it himself. He didn't leave it unattended," said the lawyer.
The film's weapon handler, 24-year-old Hanna Gutierrez Reed, has previously been sentenced to one and a half years in prison for manslaughter.
It was in October 2021 that Baldwin fired a shot that killed photographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza during the filming of the movie "Rust". The weapon, which was supposed to be loaded with blank shots, turned out to be live. Alec Baldwin, who is charged with manslaughter, denies the crime.
If the 66-year-old Baldwin is convicted, he also risks 18 months in prison.
