The actor Alec Baldwin appeared Monday in a Santa Fe courthouse as his attorneys sparred with prosecutors over what proof could possibly be proven to the jury when he goes on trial this week for the deadly taking pictures of a cinematographer on the set of the movie “Rust.”
Carrying a swimsuit with a grey striped tie and glasses with thick darkish frames, Mr. Baldwin, who’s dealing with a cost of involuntary manslaughter, appeared to pay shut consideration to the proceedings, taking notes and leaning over to talk with a lawyer.
Mr. Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury for his function within the deadly taking pictures of the cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, who was killed on Oct. 21, 2021, when a gun he was rehearsing with discharged a dwell bullet. He has pleaded not responsible, saying he was informed the gun didn’t include dwell ammunition. He has additionally mentioned he didn’t pull the set off earlier than the bullet fired, which prosecutors dispute.
The choose within the case, Mary Marlowe Sommer of the First Judicial District in New Mexico, dominated on Monday that prosecutors couldn’t argue that Mr. Baldwin’s function as a member of the manufacturing staff — he was one of many movie’s producers along with being its main man — had made him extra culpable for the loss of life of Ms. Hutchins.
“Because the producer he has the facility to regulate security on set, and there was an incredible lack of security on this set,” one of many prosecutors, Erlinda O. Johnson, argued in court docket.
Mr. Baldwin’s protection has disputed that argument, saying that as a part of the manufacturing staff he was concerned in inventive issues, however that others had authority over hiring and budgets.
The choose ordered that his function as a producer was not related to the prosecution, narrowing the trial to Mr. Baldwin’s conduct as an actor who was handed a gun on set that day.
Decide Marlowe Sommer additionally positioned limits on which video proof could possibly be proven to the jury.
She dominated that jurors could possibly be proven movies that prosecutors imagine bolsters their argument that Mr. Baldwin was reckless whereas dealing with weapons on set. Prosecutors have mentioned that footage exhibits the actor along with his finger on the set off when it was not required and utilizing his gun as a pointer to direct crew members.
However the choose mentioned the jury couldn’t be proven movies unrelated to Mr. Baldwin dealing with weapons; prosecutors had sought to confess a video by which he exhorts the crew to work sooner.
“Every thing else concerning him yelling on the crew or telling individuals to rush up — none of that’s related,” Decide Marlowe Sommer ordered.
The choice was a partial victory for the protection, which has argued that among the movies the prosecution supposed to introduce have been aimed toward smearing Mr. Baldwin’s character quite than laying out proof for his conduct on the day of the deadly taking pictures.
“Mr. Baldwin swore on set — he stubborn — and due to this fact, what, he dedicated murder?” Luke Nikas, a lawyer for Mr. Baldwin, mentioned at Monday’s listening to. “Mr. Baldwin’s not a homicide on the twenty first as a result of he swore on the sixteenth.”
Jury choice is scheduled for Tuesday, with opening arguments very more likely to begin on Wednesday.