Alec Baldwin "violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety" during the filming of "Rust," and Halyna Hutchins died on set in 2021 as a result, prosecutors said at the start of Baldwin's manslaughter trial on Wednesday.
in a reckless manner and place other individuals in danger, and act without due regard for the safety of others. That, you will hear, was the defendant: Alexander Baldwin, the lead actor on this film," prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson said during her opening statement.
Baldwin's defense attorney, Alex Spiro, told the jury during his opening statement that the actor "committed no crime" in the "unspeakable tragedy."
The "30 Rock" star fired a live round while practicing a cross-draw with a Colt .45 revolver on the Santa Fe, New Mexico , set. The bullet fatally struck Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer, and wounded director Joel Souza.
"On this set, there was a real bullet, something that should never be on a movie set, something which has nothing to do with making a movie," Spiro told the jury. "You will hear no evidence, not one word that Alec Baldwin had anything to do with that real bullet being brought onto that set."
It was the armorer's responsibility to ensure the gun was safe, Spiro argued. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed , the film's armorer, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March. She has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury on involuntary manslaughter in connection with Hutchins' death earlier this year. He has pleaded not guilty and has maintained that he did not pull the trigger of the gun. The FBI found, however, that the gun could not have been fired without pulling the trigger. Baldwin faces up to 18 months if found guilty.
Click here to watch Inside Edition's stream of the Alec Baldwin "Rust" shooting trial .
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