Actor Alec Baldwin is on trial for his involvement in the fatal shooting on the set of 'Rust'.
Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Halyna Hutchins died and Joel Souza was injured during the incident.
Prosecutors accuse Baldwin of violating firearm safety rules and acting recklessly, while his defense team blames the film's armorer and first assistant director for failing to ensure gun safety.
The defense questioned a crime scene technician about live ammunition casings found on set and the thoroughness of the sheriff's department investigation.
The trial began on October 5, 2023.
The trial of actor Alec Baldwin for his involvement in the fatal shooting on the set of 'Rust' began on October 5, 2023. The jury was presented with harrowing footage from the scene, showing the aftermath of Halyna Hutchins' death and Joel Souza's injury.
Deputy sheriffs who responded to the incident testified in court about their findings at Bonanza Creek Ranch where 'Rust' was being filmed. The incident marked the first shooting death on a Hollywood set since 1993.
Prosecutors accused Baldwin of violating cardinal rules of firearm safety and acting recklessly, while his defense team cast blame on the film's armorer and first assistant director for failing to ensure gun safety before it was given to Baldwin. If convicted, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.
The jury also heard testimony from witnesses regarding the handling of weapons and ammunition on set, as well as the early investigation into the incident. The defense team questioned a crime scene technician about live ammunition casings found on set and the thoroughness of the sheriff's department investigation.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges and maintains that he did not pull the trigger. The trial is being closely followed by media outlets from around the world.
Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial began on Wednesday, October 5, 2023.
The jury viewed harrowing footage of the aftermath of the shooting on the New Mexico film set where Halyna Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza was injured.
Body-camera footage from a New Mexico sheriff’s deputy who responded to the incident was played in court.
Halyna Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza was injured after a weapon containing live ammunition fired on set.
The incident marked the first shooting death on a Hollywood set since 1993.
Alec Baldwin denies pulling the trigger, but prosecutors say evidence shows he did so and violated cardinal rules of firearm safety.
Prosecutors seek to portray an unsafe workplace with a lead actor who acted recklessly and placed others in danger.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro casts blame on the film’s armorer and first assistant director for failing to ensure gun safety before it was given to Baldwin.
Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors accused Baldwin of playing 'make-believe with a real gun', while the defense team stated that the gun was deemed 'cold' and safe.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro questioned crime scene technician Marissa Poppell about live ammunition casings found on the set and if an average person could differentiate them from dummy casings.
Spiro also pressed Poppell about the thoroughness of the sheriff’s department investigation, specifically regarding surveillance footage at PDQ prop house.
Accuracy
Alec Baldwin denies pulling the trigger, but prosecutors say evidence shows he did so and violated cardinal rules of firearm safety.
Prosecutors seek to portray an unsafe workplace with a lead actor who acted recklessly and placed others in danger.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro casts blame on the film's armorer and first assistant director for failing to ensure gun safety before it was given to Baldwin.
Prosecutors previously claimed that live rounds found at PDQ prop did not match the live round fired on set on Oct. 21, 2021.
Photographs taken on Oct. 10, two days before Kenney's dummy rounds arrived, showed live rounds on the 'Rust' set.
Actor Alec Baldwin is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in Santa Fe court.
Baldwin appeared in court on Wednesday with his wife Hilaria and multiple siblings.
Accuracy
Alec Baldwin denies pulling the trigger, but prosecutors say evidence shows he did so and violated cardinal rules of firearm safety.
Three years ago, Baldwin was pointing a gun during a rehearsal for the movie Rust when it went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Prosecutors argue Baldwin flouted safety standards on set and didn’t do a safety check of the Colt .45 before shooting.
Defense argues others are responsible for letting a live round onto the film set and into the gun in the first place.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy. The author presents the opening statements of both the prosecution and defense without critically analyzing their claims. Additionally, there is a dichotomous depiction in the phrase 'violated safety standards on set' which implies that either Baldwin or those working with him are responsible for the shooting, ignoring potential other factors. No direct quotes from individuals other than the author are analyzed.
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, Alexander Baldwin.
Alec Baldwin’s attorney, Alex Spiro. [...] “Those people failed in their duties, but Alec Baldwin committed no crime.”
Defense attorney Alex Spiro casts blame on the film's armorer and first assistant director for failing to ensure gun safety before it was given to Baldwin.
Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
Accuracy
Alec Baldwin's trial for involntary manslaughter began on October 5, 2023.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro emphasized that Baldwin was an actor following instructions on the set of 'Rust' when the shooting occurred.
Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson accused Baldwin of disregarding safety rules and recklessly handling a revolver before the shooting.
Deception
(80%)
The author does not make any editorializing or pontification in the provided text. They are simply reporting on the events of the trial. However, there is an instance of selective reporting as they only report details that support Baldwin's position and omit details that support the prosecution's position, such as Baldwin skipping safety checks and recklessly handling a revolver. The author also does not disclose any sources in the article.
Baldwin looked at the screen somberly as it played. Later in the video, LeFleur can be seen telling Baldwin not to speak to the other potential witnesses, but Baldwin repeatedly does.
Spiro told the jury. Safety has to occur before a gun is placed in an actor's hand.
The defense attorney emphasized in his opening statement that Baldwin, who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter, did exactly what actors always do on the set of the film 'Rust.'
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy and a dichotomous depiction. The appeal to authority is present when the author quotes special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson stating that '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, Alexander Baldwin.' This statement is presented as fact without any counterargument or evidence. Additionally, there is a dichotomous depiction in the quote from defense attorney Alex Spiro: 'I don’t have to tell you any more about this, because you’ve all seen gunfights in movies.' This implies that either the trial is a clear-cut case of an accident on set or it is a deliberate act of criminal negligence, ignoring the possibility of other contributing factors. The score cannot be higher due to these fallacies found.
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, Alexander Baldwin.
I don’t have to tell you any more about this, because you’ve all seen gunfights in movies.
Prosecutors previously claimed that live rounds found at PDQ prop did not match the live round fired on set on Oct. 21, 2021.
Photographs taken on Oct. 10, two days before Kenney’s dummy rounds arrived, showed live rounds on the ‘Rust’ set.
Accuracy
Alec Baldwin's trial for involntary manslaughter in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins continued on July 11, 2023.
The jury viewed harrowing footage of the aftermath of the shooting on the New Mexico film set where Halyna Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza was injured.
Halyna Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza was injured after a weapon containing live ammunition fired on set.
Live ammo was found in different areas of the Western film set but no live ammo was recovered from the prop truck that housed all of the ammunition used during filming.
Deception
(30%)
The article reports on the Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting trial without providing direct links to peer-reviewed studies or pre-print studies that support any claims made. This would be considered poor scientific reporting. Additionally, the article mentions live rounds were found in different areas of the set but does not disclose sources for this information, making it difficult to verify its accuracy.
The article reports on the Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting trial without providing direct links to peer-reviewed studies or pre-print studies that support any claims made. This would be considered poor scientific reporting.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several potential fallacies. It uses inflammatory rhetoric with phrases like 'Rust shooting trial' and 'faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted', which appeal to emotions rather than reason. The author also presents an argument without providing evidence by stating that Spiro implied an outsider could have introduced live rounds onto the set, without giving any specifics on what that implication was. Additionally, there is a false dichotomy when Spiro questions why law enforcement waited a week to search the prop truck, implying it was either they found live ammo in different areas of the set or they didn't look hard enough in the prop truck. This oversimplifies the situation and ignores other possible explanations.
. The 66-year-old actor was charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted in the October 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Spiro brought up Kenney’s involvement during his questioning of crime scene technician Marissa Poppell at Baldwin’s trial, implying that an outsider could have introduced live rounds onto the set.
