SANTA FE, NM — Prosecutors tried to launch Alex Baldwin as someone who disregards the rules and has little regard for safety in the first day of his trial in New Mexico in the footage of a director of photography.
Special Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson repeatedly referred to Baldwin playing “pretend” with a gun on the set of the movie “Rust” and said it led to very real danger and the death of Halyna Hutchinswhom she called “a vibrant 42-year-old rising star.”
Ocampo Johnson told jurors in his opening statement Wednesday that Baldwin “requested to be assigned the biggest gun available” and that during a training session for that, he had “people filming him as he ran around shooting with this weapon.”
The prosecutor said behind-the-scenes video will show Baldwin casually disregarding basic firearms safety.
“You will see him using this gun as a pointer to point at people, point at things,” Ocampo Johnson said. “You’ll see him cock the hammer when he shouldn’t cock the hammer, you’ll see him put his finger on the trigger when his finger shouldn’t be on the trigger.”
Hutchins’ death and director Joel Souza’s injury nearly three years ago sent shockwaves through the film industry and led to the manslaughter charge against Baldwin, which could result in up to 18 months in prison.
The judgment of 66 year old star of “30 Rock” and frequent host of “Saturday Night Live” continues Thursday with testimony from a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department crime scene technician.
The beginning of technician Marissa Poppell’s testimony allowed jurors to see the revolver and the spent bullet from the shooting.
Baldwin’s attorney, Alex Spiro, emphasized in his opening statement that Baldwin did just what actors always do.
“He should be able to pick up that gun and use it in the same way that the person he’s playing would,” Spiro told jurors.
This includes pulling the trigger. Baldwin said the gun went off accidentally, but Spiro said it still wouldn’t be manslaughter even if he had fired it intentionally.
“On a movie set, you can pull the trigger,” Spiro said.
Spiro called the shooting an “unspeakable tragedy” and that an “incredible person” died, but said the responsibility lies with the film’s gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who has already been convicted of manslaughterand assistant director David Halls, who told Baldwin the gun was “cold.”
“It was checked and rechecked by those responsible for making sure the gun was safe,” Spiro said. “He didn’t touch it, he didn’t carry it himself. He did not leave it unattended.”
The first witness to testify was Nicholas LeFleur, the first police officer to arrive on the set at Bonanza Creek Ranch after the shooting, and lapel camera video gave jurors a glimpse of the chaotic scene: a shadowy view of a man apparently Hutchins. unconscious as LeFleur and others worked to revive her.
Later in the video, LeFleur can be seen telling Baldwin not to talk to other potential witnesses, but Baldwin does so repeatedly.
“Should Mr. Baldwin be talking about the incident?” special prosecutor Kari Morrissey asked him.
“No, ma’am,” LeFleur replied.
“He seems to be doing it anyway?” asked Morrissey.
“Yes, ma’am,” LeFleur said.
Among those sitting in the gallery behind Baldwin watching the trial were his wife Hilaria Baldwin, younger brother Stephen Baldwin and older sister Elizabeth Keuchler — who at times wiped away tears during the proceedings.
___
Dalton reported from Los Angeles.
___ For more coverage of the Alec Baldwin manslaughter trial, visit:
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
