Alec Baldwin wipes his eyes in 'disheveled' courthouse appearance as trial gets underway

Alec Baldwin is due in court today facing charges of involuntary manslaughter related to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The actor stands accused due to his alleged role in the fatal shooting that took place on the set of Rust last year.

He was reportedly handling the gun that discharged, resulting in the tragic loss of the filmmaker's life, despite insisting he didn't pull the trigger and was unaware the firearm contained live rounds.

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Internet users have commented on his appearance on court, with one writing: "What is happening?! Is the #AlecBaldwin team going for dowdy, absent minded professor look? This tie is too short. #trialstyle #fashionedjustice #courtroomcouture. Lmk what you all think? I felt he looked disheveled today."

Today signifies the beginning of Baldwin's trial, starting with jury selection. Here's a summary of events so far and what we can anticipate from the upcoming trial.

Pretrial hearing

Baldwin made an appearance in court on Monday where he heard testimonies during a pretrial hearing at the First Judicial District Courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Appearing visibly distressed, the actor was photographed with his head in his hands while seated in the courtroom, reports the Mirror US .

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The judge presiding over the pretrial hearing determined that Baldwin's position as a producer on Rust doesn't pertain to his current charges. This ruling has dealt a significant blow to the prosecution team who intended to demonstrate Baldwin's specific responsibility for safety on set given his role as a producer.

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"I'm having real difficulty with the state's position," revealed Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer. "They want to show that as a producer he didn't follow guidelines, and therefore as an actor, Mr Baldwin did all of these things wrong that resulted in the death of Ms Hutchins because as a producer he allowed these things to happen."

The judge stated firmly: "I'm denying evidence of his status as a producer."

Baldwin, dressed in a sombre dark suit, attended the hearing with his defence lawyer, Alex Spiro.

Enhanced security measures

The security at Baldwin's trial has been stepped up, media outlets have reported. Denise Womack-Avila, a representative for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, informed TMZ that due to the high-profile nature of Baldwin's case and significant media attention, extra deputies have been assigned to the courthouse.

It is also understood that there will be an increased police presence in the vicinity to ensure public safety. The exact number of officers deployed has not been disclosed by the spokeswoman.

Furthermore, she mentioned that the press is prohibited from setting up camp outside the courthouse. Journalists are required to "follow the daily protocol" for entry each morning.

Views from legal pundits

Various legal commentators have weighed in on the proceedings, with Attorney Todd Spodek indicating that Baldwin might face difficulties if he decides to testify. "It's incredibly risky if he testifies," Spodek conveyed to Fox News Digital.

"He's always having outbursts. He's someone who isn't in control of his emotions and is extremely volatile."

The lawyer also said prosecutors will be trying to "tear Baldwin apart" and added: "He is in New Mexico, which is a long way from Hollywood and New York. There is a real risk that a New Mexico jury may find him insincere and insufferable."

What are the charges?

The charges against Alec were initially dropped when the firearm involved was damaged during an FBI probe, preventing experts from examining it. When the weapon was pieced together again, ballistics specialists gave their input and the charges were reinstated in February 2024.

In their assessment, ballistics authorities Lucien and Michael Haag opined: "This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by the pull or rearward depression of the trigger. Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."

Baldwin's legal team, Lukas Nikas and Alex Spiro, stated to The Mirror US: "We look forward to our day in court."