Alec Baldwin trial: Jury selected for ‘Rust’ shooting case

(NewsNation) — A 16-person jury has been selected in Alec Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter after a shooting in 2021 on the set of his movie “Rust.”

Opening statements are expected to begin at 8:30 a.m. MT Wednesday.

What charges is Alec Baldwin facing?

Baldwin is facing charges he negligently disregarded the safety of others after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set.

The gun Baldwin was using in the scene was meant to be loaded with dummy rounds. During a rehearsal, Baldwin allegedly pointed the gun at the camera and fired. Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured in the shooting.

Baldwin, who was also a producer on the film, has maintained he did not pull the trigger on the weapon and that it fired by accident, something FBI analysts disputed after examining the gun.

It’s not clear who brought live rounds onto the set.

What to expect in the trial

Prosecutors are expected to argue that Baldwin acted with disregard for the safety of others and that it was his negligent use of a firearm that led to Hutchins’ death. They are also expected to argue that he had more responsibility for safety because he was not just an actor in the movie but a producer.

The defense, on the other hand, is expected to argue that it isn’t the job of an actor to make sure live rounds are not in his gun, a position strongly supported by the actor’s union. Baldwin’s attorneys will most likely also attack the gun evidence and say that damage to the revolver done during an FBI test was due to the destruction of evidence.

Armorer warned producers of risks

A veteran armorer who turned down a job on the film told NewsNation he backed out because of red flags that the production team was cutting corners in a way that could risk the safety of those involved.

Neal Zoromski told NewsNation’s Brian Entin that his clothes were packed and he was ready to leave for the set when he was notified that his staff would be cut. He decided to back out, warning the production team that they were jeopardizing people’s safety.

Zoromski also said he believes Baldwin had to have pulled the trigger.

“I believe that he did. He did pull the trigger because it’s a revolver. And in order for that bullet to come down and be struck by the firing pin, you have to pull the trigger,” he said.

He also said it was a red flag that Baldwin was handed the gun by the film’s assistant director and not Gutierrez-Reed herself.

“If Mr. Baldwin is a seasoned actor, he should have refused that from anyone other than the armorer,” Zoromski said.

What happened to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed?

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter after being convicted earlier this year. She was the person on set responsible for maintaining and keeping track of weapons used in the movie and prosecutors alleged she was negligent for not realizing live rounds had been mixed in with a box of dummy rounds.

Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyers argued that producers had failed to keep the set safe and did not hold enough safety meetings. They also said Baldwin had failed to pay attention to firearms safety briefings.

Gutierrez-Reed has appealed and has accused the prosecutors of withholding evidence

The trial is expected to begin Wednesday.

NewsNation’s Brian Entin and Kelsey Kernstein contributed to this story.