Alec Baldwin cast as reckless flouter of rules at his trial in cinematographer's shooting
CTV
Prosecutors sought to cast Alec Baldwin as someone who flouts rules and has little regard for safety at the first day of his New Mexico trial in the shooting of a cinematographer.
Prosecutors sought to cast Alec Baldwin as someone who flouts rules and has little regard for safety at the first day of his New Mexico trial in the shooting of a cinematographer.
Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson repeatedly referred to Baldwin playing "make-believe" with a revolver on the set of the film "Rust," and said it led to very real danger and the death of Halyna Hutchins, whom she called "a vibrant 42-year-old rising star."
Ocampo Johnson told jurors in her opening statement Wednesday that Baldwin "requested to be assigned the biggest gun available" and that during a training session for it, he had "people filming him while he's running around shooting this gun."
The prosecutor said behind-the-scenes video will show Baldwin casually disregarding basic firearm safety.
"You will see him using this gun as a pointer to point at people, point at things," Ocampo Johnson said. "You will see him cock the hammer when he is not supposed to cock the hammer, you will see him put his finger on the trigger when his finger's not supposed to be on the trigger."
Hutchins' death and the wounding of director Joel Souza nearly three years ago sent shock waves through the film industry and led to the felony involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin that could result in up to 18 months in prison.
The trial of the 66-year-old star of "30 Rock" and frequent host of "Saturday Night Live" resumed for its second day Thursday with testimony from a crime scene technician with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department.
