USA Jury selected in the criminal trial against Alec Baldwin

A twelve-person jury and four alternate jurors have been selected in the criminal trial against Alec Baldwin (66) and the opening statements can now continue in the court of Santa Fe (US state of New Mexico). According to a court spokesman, eleven women and five men were selected on Tuesday (local time). Baldwin, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter after being fatally shot on the set of the western "Rust", attended the jury selection. His wife, Hilaria Baldwin (40), and one of his brothers, actor Stephen Baldwin (58), were also in the courtroom, according to journalists present.

The jurors are all citizens of New Mexico, but their identities remain secret in accordance with strict court rules. They were selected from a pool of more than 70 people. Representatives of the prosecution and defense asked about their views on gun ownership and whether they themselves own a gun. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer wanted to know how many of the candidates were familiar with the case. Only two people stated that they had not heard anything about it.

The fatal incident on the western set

The charge stems from a shooting incident on the set of the western "Rust". On October 21, 2021, lead actor Baldwin pulled out a revolver during rehearsals. But instead of harmless bullets, live ammunition went off. The bullet pierced camerawoman Halyna Hutchins (42) and then hit director Joel Souza, who was standing behind her, in the shoulder. The mother of a then nine-year-old son died shortly afterwards, Souza escaped with minor injuries.

Baldwin rejects accusations

Baldwin pleaded not guilty to the charges in January. In interviews, the actor and producer had previously claimed that he had not pulled the trigger of the gun. The defense suggests that the gun may have been damaged and that the shot was fired without Baldwin's involvement. The star of films such as "The Hunt for Red October" and "Blue Jasmine" could also not have assumed that the gun contained live ammunition, his lawyers argue. The prosecution, in turn, is likely to accuse Baldwin of failing to check the weapon, disregarding safety requirements and endangering others through recklessness.

Earlier guilty verdict against gun master

The judge has set just under two weeks for the trial. Cameras are permitted - the proceedings will be made accessible to the public via livestream. Among others, filmmakers, investigators and weapons experts are expected to take the witness stand. It is not yet known whether Baldwin himself will testify. In the end, twelve jurors will have to reach a verdict. If found guilty, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.

In a separate trial, the weapons master Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was responsible for weapons safety on the set of "Rust", was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. She had loaded the gun, which contained live ammunition. In April, she was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.

SDA