Alec Baldwin wins huge victory a day before ‘Rust’ manslaughter trial begins

Alec Baldwin A large part of the prosecution’s case had just been thrown out… just a day before his manslaughter trial was to begin.

Judge rules prosecutors can’t present evidence that Baldwin served as producer on film … a key part of the state’s argument that Baldwin’s alleged recklessness led to the death of the cinematographer Helena Hutchins.

Baldwin is an executive producer on the film, but there are other EPs handling more hands-on work.

Prosecutors believe Baldwin shirked his duties as a producer and allowed on-set security to be lax, leading to Hutchins’ death.

The judge said: “I have a very difficult time with the State Government’s position that they want to show that as a producer he failed to follow the guidance and therefore as an actor Mr Baldwin did all these wrong things which resulted in Helena Hutchins died because, as a producer, he allowed this to happen.

The judge made it clear – the producers’ decisions on set went well beyond Baldwin’s, ruling that “the probative value was not outweighed by unfair prejudice and, of course, confusion” [for the jury]”.

So now, prosecutors can only argue that Baldwin was reckless as an actor by pointing the gun in Hutchins’ direction and that he failed to check the room before firing. The problem with this argument is that the arms dealer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reedhas been found guilty of manslaughter because she had a duty to ensure the firearm did not contain live ammunition.