OAN’s James Myers
3:12pm – Wednesday, February 21, 2024
alec baldwin movie trial rustfocuses on how the film’s cinematographer was shot and killed in 2021, and the jury selection process has begun.
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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 27, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in the death of Halina Hutchins, who died after being struck by live bullets fired from a gun held by Baldwin.
In addition, manager Joel Souza was also injured in the incident.
Gutierrez-Reed’s trial began Wednesday in Santa Fe, New Mexico, before Baldwin’s case began. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and evidence tampering. Baldwin also pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges in a separate case.
The process to select the 12 jurors began with a selection of 70 Santa Fe-area residents, including non-English speakers, welders, teachers, graduate students and mothers of six children. Ta. Prosecutors in the case questioned potential jurors about their exposure to intensive media coverage and social media publicity surrounding the case.
Prosecutors are expected to present evidence that Gutierrez-Reed loaded the firearm with live ammunition that would later kill Hutchins. Live ammunition is prohibited on movie sets. They are also likely to claim that the armorers missed opportunities to ensure safety on set.
But Gutierrez-Reed’s defense attorney claims he has evidence to exonerate his client.
The trial, which is expected to last about two weeks, has opening arguments scheduled for Thursday.
If convicted of manslaughter, Gutierrez could be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison. There were many setbacks regarding the criminal charges against Baldwin.
The original manslaughter charge was dropped last April after prosecutors called it “new facts” that required “further investigation and forensic analysis.”
However, a grand jury handed down new indictments late last year. In January, Baldwin pleaded not guilty to a new charge of manslaughter.
Additionally, Baldwin has repeatedly denied responsibility for the incident, insisting that he did not pull the trigger. Baldwin went on to blame the film crew for negligence, claiming that surrounding film industry professionals failed to ensure the safety of the props.
Meanwhile, the trial date has not yet been set and the film’s release date has not been announced. Mr. Baldwin remains free on bond.
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