A New Mexico judge ruled Monday that Alec Baldwin’s role as a producer on the film “Rust” is not relevant to his involuntary manslaughter trial. This decision marks a significant setback for prosecutors who had planned to argue that Baldwin’s responsibilities as a producer contributed to the unsafe conditions that led to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer expressed difficulty with the prosecution’s argument that Baldwin’s producer role should be linked to his actions as an actor. “I’m having real difficulty with the state’s position that they want to show that as a producer he didn’t follow guidelines and therefore as an actor Mr. Baldwin did all of these things wrong that resulted in the death of Ms. Hutchins because as a producer he allowed these things to happen,” Sommer said. “I’m denying evidence of his status as a producer.”
Baldwin, who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter, was present in the courtroom, listening intently and taking notes. The trial, which begins with jury selection on Tuesday, is expected to last 10 days.
Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson argued that Baldwin was “keenly aware” of his safety obligations as a producer, aiming to bolster an alternative theory of guilt beyond negligent use of a firearm. However, the judge was not convinced, ruling that evidence of Baldwin’s producer role would not be allowed.
Last week, the judge allowed crucial firearms experts for the prosecution to testify about Baldwin’s handling of the revolver and whether the gun was functioning properly before the fatal shooting. On Monday, the judge also sided with prosecutors to exclude the summary findings from a state workplace safety investigation that placed much of the blame on assistant director Dave Halls. Halls has pleaded no contest to negligent use of a firearm and may testify at Baldwin’s trial.
Prosecutors argued that the workplace safety investigation was incomplete and unreliable, glossing over Baldwin’s responsibilities in the fatal shooting. Rust Movie Productions paid a $100,000 fine to resolve violations of state safety regulations under a 2023 settlement agreement. Several witnesses to the workplace safety investigation are expected to testify at Baldwin’s trial.
Prosecutors will be allowed to present graphic images of Hutchins’ injuries from an autopsy report, as well as police lapel camera video of the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Baldwin faces a single felony count of involuntary manslaughter, punishable by up to 18 months in prison if convicted. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on set, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She is appealing the conviction.
In October 2021, Baldwin was rehearsing a cross-draw maneuver with the revolver when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty, claiming the gun fired accidentally after he followed instructions to point it toward Hutchins, who was behind the camera. He stated that he pulled back the hammer, not the trigger, and the gun fired.
Baldwin’s attorneys successfully sought to bar discussion at trial of fatal gun incidents on movie sets, including actor Brandon Lee’s death in 1993. Prosecutors agreed not to elicit testimony about “The Crow” but argued that Baldwin knew about safety risks posed by guns, even when live rounds are not present. The judge will allow a single reference to the fact that blank rounds without a projectile can be fatal.
The judge also excluded from trial a letter signed by crew members disputing the characterization of the “Rust” set as chaotic or dangerous before the fatal shooting. Another pretrial motion might limit accusations of “prosecutorial misconduct” and “personal attacks” between the prosecution and defense teams. Discussion of prosecutorial misconduct will be limited to testimony and expert analysis of the gun and FBI forensic testing that damaged the firing mechanism.
The judge ruled that evidence and arguments designed to garner sympathy for Baldwin, including indications of remorse or the impact of events on his family, will not be allowed at trial. Prosecutors argued that such arguments have no bearing on determining guilt.
Baldwin, a three-time Emmy winner, has remained a household name for nearly 35 years, largely due to his real-life personality as an outspoken liberal, talk-show guest, and frequent “Saturday Night Live” host.
In a significant victory for Baldwin’s defense, the judge’s ruling means the jury will consider Baldwin solely as an actor who was holding the gun as part of his role, not as a producer responsible for set safety. This decision was one of several key evidentiary rulings made during Monday’s hearing, just one day before jury selection is set to begin. The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Source: CNN, Fox News, AP
