A dozen individuals were present inside a church on a movie set when Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins while also injuring director Joel Souza during a rehearsal for the film “Rust” nearly three years ago. Baldwin is now facing trial for involuntary manslaughter after numerous legal procedures. Some of the individuals who were in the church at the time of the incident in 2021 are anticipated to provide testimony during the trial. The witness list includes investigators, firearms experts, and the film’s armorer, who is appealing a conviction related to the shooting.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the film, maintains that the gun discharged accidentally after he followed instructions to aim it toward Hutchins, who was working behind the camera. Prosecutors intend to present evidence indicating that the trigger of the gun needed to be pulled. Baldwin has asserted that he did not pull the trigger but rather pulled back the hammer, leading to the unintentional firing of the gun.
The trial involves various key individuals, including the defendant Alec Baldwin, known for his roles in numerous successful films and TV shows. Witnesses expected to testify include Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, David Halls, the assistant director, Joel Souza, the director and writer, Ross Addiego, a crew member on the film, Zac Sneesby, a sound engineer, Lucien Haag, a firearms expert, and the prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Erlinda Johnson. The judge presiding over the case is Mary Marlowe Sommer.
The legal teams involved in the trial include Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, both well-versed in a variety of legal matters ranging from criminal defense to high-profile litigation cases.
