Alec Baldwin Broke ‘Cardinal Rules’ of Gun Safety While Playing ‘Make Believe,’ Prosecutor Says
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SANTA FE, N.M. — A prosecutor told jurors Wednesday that Alec Baldwin violated the cardinal rules of gun safety while playing “make believe” on the set of “Rust,” resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, one of two special prosecutors on the case, argued in her opening statement that Baldwin repeatedly violated film industry gun protocols in the days leading up to the fatal shooting.
She also faulted him for failing to check his gun with armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who had mistakenly loaded it with a live bullet. “The defendant didn’t do a gun safety check with that inexperienced armorer,” Johnson said. “He pointed the gun at another human being, cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger in reckless disregard for Ms.
Hutchins’ safety.” In his opening statement, defense attorney Alex Spiro argued that it was not Baldwin’s responsibility to check the gun, and that he relied on others — Gutierrez Reed and first assistant director Dave Halls — to make sure the gun was safe. “The actor’s job is to act,” he said. “He’s Harland Rust.
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