Trial begins over fatal shooting Alec Baldwin calls in Elon Musk's lawyer
Actor Alec Baldwin must answer for his actions in court three years after fatally shooting a camerawoman. The 66-year-old faces 18 months in prison, the same sentence that the "Rust" gun master is currently serving.
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- Alec Baldwin is on trial for involuntary manslaughter for accidentally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while filming "Rust" in 2021.
- The trial will focus on the chaotic conditions on the film set and the use of an Italian prop gun.
- Baldwin's defense argues that it was not his responsibility to check the safety of the prop gun; the trial will be televised live.
It has been almost three years since camerawoman Halyna Hutchins was killed in an accident on the set of the "Rust" film. The fatal shot was fired by actor Alec Baldwin. Now the trial begins on Tuesday, July 9.
Alec Baldwin will have to answer to the court for involuntary manslaughter. If the jury unanimously convicts him, the 66-year-old could face up to 18 months in prison.
During a rehearsal, Baldwin pointed a revolver at the camera and thus at Halyna Hutchins, firing a shot that fatally shot her. Director Joel Souza was slightly injured. After the accident, Baldwin assured that he had only cocked the gun - but had not pulled the trigger. The gun fired nonetheless.
Gun master is already in prison
The trial will focus on two things in relation to the fatal accident: the chaotic atmosphere of a film set and the classic revolver that was made in Italy.
Even three years after the incident at Bonanza Creek Ranch in the US state of New Mexico, it is still not clear who brought live ammunition onto the set of the western. Armsmaster Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been held responsible for the lax handling of the handguns in an earlier trial. She is now serving 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter - exactly the same sentence Alec Baldwin is facing.
According to CBS, the prosecutors are pursuing two strategies to prove the charges. On the one hand, it is about the negligent use of a handgun and, on the other, they want to determine whether Baldwin acted without regard for safety - or out of indifference.
Twelve residents of Santa Fe County will sit on the jury and determine whether the actor is guilty or not. The trial is expected to last around nine days, with Judge Mary Marlowe wanting to "keep the lawyers on a tight leash" and "respect the schedule".
Elon Musk's lawyer helps Baldwin
Alec Baldwin has hired a team of lawyers from New York to defend him in this case. Among them is 41-year-old Alex Spiro, who has already represented Elon Musk and rapper Megan Thee Stallion in court. The aim of the defense is relatively simple: they want to prove that it is not the actors' job to ensure that a prop gun contains real ammunition. The US Actors' Union also used the same strategy to defend Baldwin.
Baldwin repeatedly insisted that he had not pulled the trigger of the revolver.
The trial will be broadcast live on television in the USA, as was the case with Donald Trump or the defamation trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp.