Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday morning in New Mexico for the trial of Alec Baldwin, who faces charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of the cinematographer on the set of the film “Rust.”
The incident occurred on October 21, 2021, when the gun Baldwin was rehearsing with discharged a live bullet, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding the movie’s director. The weapon was supposed to have been loaded with inert rounds incapable of firing.
The announcement that prosecutors were pursuing a criminal case against Baldwin shocked Hollywood, where many believe that on-set gun safety is the responsibility of the production’s weapons experts and safety coordinators, not the actors. The movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison.