Beginning on Wednesday, Alec Baldwin’s well reported trial featured the prosecution’s allegation that he mishandled a handgun before the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, therefore neglecting safety precautions.
“The evidence will show that the defendant, Alexander Baldwin, disregarded fundamental gun safety rules while using a real gun for make-believe,” special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson said.
Defensively, attorney Alex Spiro said, “These rules aren’t strict on a film set.”
“Priority on a film set is ensuring safety before handing a gun to an actor,” Spiro stressed.
Nicholas LeFleur, a law enforcement officer who showed up first at the site following the shooting, testified first in the trial. Showcased in court, video footage from LeFleur’s body camera showed desperate attempts to help Hutchins, who seemed unconscious while breathing. Baldwin watched gravely as the video rolled on in court.
About three years ago, during a Western film scene rehearsal, Baldwin was handling a pretend gun that accidentally fired, killing Hutchins and seriously hurting director Joel Souza.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armaments director for the movie, was sentenced to eighteen months in prison after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year.