Key Players: Who’s Who in Alec Baldwin’s Trial for the Fatal Shooting of a Cinematographer

A dozen people were inside a church on the film set the day Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza during a rehearsal for the Western film “Rust.”

Now, nearly three years later and after numerous hearings and much legal wrangling, Baldwin is on trial on charges of manslaughter. Some of those who were inside the church on that fateful day in 2021 they must testify.

The witness list also includes several investigators, firearms experts and presumably the film’s gunsmith – who is appealing her conviction for her role in the shooting.

Baldwin, the film’s lead actor and co-producer, claimed the gun went off accidentally after he followed instructions to point it at Hutchins, who was behind the camera. Unaware it was loaded with a live bullet, he said he pulled the hammer – not the trigger – and fired.

Prosecutors plan to present evidence that the gun’s trigger had to be pulled. They said Baldwin shares responsibility for what happened that day.

Here’s a look at the key players in the criminal trial of an actor who has been a TV and film mainstay for decades:

ALEC BALDWIN – Known for his roles in the blockbuster “The Hunt for Red October,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed” and the sitcom “30 Rock,” Baldwin’s career spans more than four decades and includes other armed roles. Baldwin was charged twice in Hutchins’ death. Prosecutors dismissed an earlier charge and revived it through a grand jury after receiving a new analysis of the gun he pointed at. in Hutchins. One indictment alleges that Baldwin caused Hutchins’ death — either through negligence or “complete disregard or indifference” for safety. He pleaded not guilty.

HANNAH GUTIERREZ-REED – Stepdaughter of renowned shooter and weapons consultant Thell Reed, Gutierrez-Reed was 24 years old at the time of the deadly shooting. “Rust” was her second assignment as an armorer in a feature film. Her lawyers argued that she was the scapegoat, pointing to safety concerns that went beyond their client. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison for manslaughter, which she is attractive. At sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed said he tried to do his best on set despite not having “adequate time, resources and personnel.”

DAVID HALLS – With credits that include “The Matrix Reloaded,” Halls has worked on dozens of films over a 30-year career. The assistant director and security coordinator did not contest to a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon and received a suspended sentence of six months probation. After “Rust” producers halted work on the film in 2021, it became known that Halls had been fired from a previous job after a gun went off on set and injured a member of the film crew.

JOEL SOUZA — Director and writer, Souza wrote the script for “Rust”. Although he has worked on smaller projects over the years, he made his film debut in 2019 with “Crown Vic.” Baldwin was also among the producers on that project and said he was looking forward to working with Souza on the western. Souza was wounded by the same bullet that killed Hutchins. Sousa previously testified he moved behind Hutchins to get a closer look at the camera angle and never saw the gun that shot him.

ROSS ADDIEGO – He was hired by Rust Productions as a frontline crew member who built and operated systems to guide the film camera. He was among those present at the church the day Hutchins was killed. He and other team members are suing the producers, alleging that their failure to comply with industry safety rules induced emotional distress.

ZAC SNEESBY — Sound engineer and sound operator, Sneesby has worked on several projects, with “Stranger Things” being one of his most recent works. He also mixed sound for the artistic collaboration Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. He said in a recent pretrial interview that he was very close to Baldwin when the actor shot and killed Hutchins. He told prosecutors that he saw Baldwin pull the trigger.

LUCIEN HAAG – A firearms expert for an Arizona-based consulting firm, Haag has been called to testify in several criminal cases on subjects including firearm identification and the reconstruction of shootings. Prosecutors identified Haag and his son, Michael, as two of the country’s top firearms forensic experts. The pair examined the gun Baldwin used during the shoot.

KARI MORRISSEY – A veteran attorney whose experience includes hundreds of trials, Morrissey assumed the role of special prosecutor in March 2023. She has practiced law in New Mexico for more than 20 years, having graduated from the University of New Mexico law school. Accused of overzealousness by Baldwin’s legal team, Morrissey did not back down during the many hearings leading up to the trial. Throughout her career, her focus has included criminal defense and civil rights cases.

ERLINDA JOHNSON – Joining the team less than three months ago, Johnson had to study quickly. His specialty has been criminal defense and personal injury. She was chosen in a high-profile public corruption case to defend former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran, who resigned in 2015 amid revelations that she used campaign funds to fuel a gambling addiction. Johnson also previously worked as a federal prosecutor on drug and organized crime investigations after serving as an assistant district attorney in the Albuquerque area.

LUKE NIKAS — With a resume that boasts numerous legal MVP lists, Nikas graduated from Harvard Law School and is a partner in the New York office of one of the largest law firms in the world. When the charges against Baldwin were first announced, Nikas called it a miscarriage of justice, promising that his team would fight the charges and win. He is best known for his work in the art world, having represented museums, galleries, auction houses and collectors. He also recovered artworks by Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso and led the defense in a forgery case that shook the New York art world.

ALEX SPIRO – Harvard graduate and partner of Nikas at Quinn, Emanual, Urquhart & Sullivan, Spiro works on white collar and government enforcement cases as well as sports and entertainment litigation. Previously, he served as a Manhattan prosecutor, participating in the conviction of two notorious murderers. His client list while in private practice included Elon MuskJay-Z and Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.

MARY MARLOWE SOMMER – Her decades-long career included work as a law clerk, defense attorney and hearing officer who handled thousands of cases involving domestic violence and family issues. In 2010, Marlowe Sommer was appointed to the First Judicial District Court by then-New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. When sentencing Gutierrez-Reed in April, the judge told the defendant that anything less than the maximum sentence would not be appropriate, citing what she called recklessness. If the Gutierrez-Reed trial is any indication, Marlowe Sommer will keep lawyers on track and on schedule in what will be a high-profile case.