Alec Baldwin Watches Halyna Hutchins' Final Moments In Body Cam Footage Played In 'Rust' Trial
Alec Baldwin watched Halyna Hutchins' final moments during his trial on Wednesday.
The trial for Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter over the death of the late cinematographer has begun. A clip from a police body camera was played during the trial, and it showed a paramedic coaching Hutchins to breathe after Baldwin accidentally shot her while filming "Rust" in New Mexico.
"Deep breath, Halyna. Deep breath," a paramedic told Hutchins. Meanwhile, director Joel Souza -- who was also shot but survived his injuries -- can be seen lifting himself off the ground. He can also be heard screaming in pain, People reported.
Hutchins moved her head from side to side while the paramedics stabilized her. However, she didn't survive and died that day.
Several jurors grimaced at the sight of the footage. Baldwin, who was seated beside his legal counsel, maintained a natural expression as he watched. At one point, he removed his glasses and briefly rubbed his nose.
Baldwin's brother, Stephen Baldwin, also watched the footage. However, their sister, Beth Keuchler, and his wife, Hilaria, did not.
The footage was reportedly from the camera of Nicholas LeFleur, an officer at the Santa Fe Police Department. He previously worked for the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department when he responded to the scene in 2021.
The prosecutor and defense questioned LeFleur on what he witnessed when he arrived on the "Rust" set as he was the first member of law enforcement to respond.
Prosecutor Erlina Johnson called Baldwin "reckless" in her opening statement earlier on Wednesday. She also said that she would present experts who would testify that the gun's trigger had to be pulled for it to discharge.
Meanwhile, the defense argued that it was an "unspeakable tragedy" and Baldwin committed no crime.
"Alec Baldwin committed no crime," Baldwin's lawyer, Alex Spiro, said. "He was an actor acting."
He added that the cardinal rules on firearm safety that the prosecutors spoke about do not apply on a movie set. He also stressed that other people were tasked to ensure the safety of the movie set and the firearm, and it was they who failed their duties.
"Real bullets are never supposed to be on movie sets," Spiro added.
Baldwin pleaded not guilty to involuntary slaughter. The actor insisted that he did not pull the trigger and was not aware it contained live ammunition. If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison.
