Prosecutor says Alec Baldwin ‘did his own thing’ and ignored safety in opening statement of manslaughter trial, while defense outlines a ‘mystery’ the state did not even try to solve

Alec Baldwin watches opening statements in manslaughter trial

Alec Baldwin watches opening statements in his manslaughter trial on July 10, 2024, in Santa Fe, N.M. (Law&Crime Network)

The manslaughter trial of Alec Baldwin, 66, began in earnest with opening statements in a New Mexico courtroom on Tuesday morning.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, died when a gun held by the famed actor discharged on the set of the Western movie “Rust” on Oct. 21, 2021.

The state painted a picture of Baldwin as a brash rule-breaker who did not listen to, or abide by, set-in-stone safety rules that fateful day.

“When someone plays make believe with a real gun in a real-life workplace and while playing make believe with that real gun violates the cardinal rule of firearm safety, people’s lives are endangered and someone could be killed,” prosecutor Erlinda Johnson began. “It’s simple, straightforward. The evidence will show: that someone who played make-believe with a real gun and violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety is the defendant.”

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