After sitting through the first day of his manslaughter trial Wednesday, a relaxed-looking Alec Baldwin joined his family for a casual stroll through downtown Santa Fe, shopping for suits while greeting locals who wished him well.
If not facing the prospect of 18 months in prison, it might have appeared just another day in the life of a celebrity.
‘Good luck with this thing,’ an 81-year-old man named Jim hollered at Baldwin on the sidewalk, striking up a conversation with the actor about their shared roots in New York.
‘Thank you,’ Baldwin, shedding his sport coat but wearing a shirt and tie, replied with a smile. He was joined by his wife Hilaria and two of their seven children.
While crossing the street, he playfully stuck his tongue out at his toddler daughter, who was wearing fuzzy boots with a cow pattern and being cradled by her mom who was sporting cut-off jeans and sandals.
Baldwin and his family enjoyed a stroll after spending the majority of the day in court as opening statements took place
If not facing the prospect of 18 months in prison, it might have appeared just another day in the life of a celebrity
Passing several high-end shops, they popped into two clothing stores including Eternity, where Baldwin tried on clothes while staring at himself in the mirror.
He bought several blazers, possibly for future court appearances. He then placed the bags on his daughter’s stroller.
They rolled into a Starbucks, where he was greeted by more fans. ‘He was very nice, very sweet to give us his autograph,’ gushed Lucille Roybal, who had Baldwin sign the autograph to her daughter, Ocean.
‘I was going to ask for a selfie for my dad, but I didn’t want to because he’s going through a hard time’, she added.
After nearly an hour out and about, the Baldwin clan walked back to their luxury hotel, where they’ve been staying in a presidential suite just a few blocks from the courthouse.
The baggy-eyed actor, 66, arrived at the courthouse on Wednesday in a convoy of three SUVs wearing a dark suit and avoiding questions from reporters camped outside the Santa Fe courthouse.
Baldwin and his wife Hilaria, 40, appeared at the courthouse as opening statements took placein the case involving the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western film in October 2021.
He bought several blazers, possibly for future court appearances. He then placed the bags on his daughter’s stroller
While crossing the street, he playfully stuck his tongue out at his toddler daughter who was carried by his wife Hilaria
The actor, 66, arrived in court on Wednesday in a convoy of three SUVs while wearing a dark suit and avoided questions from reporters
Baldwin is being represented by Alex Spiro, a high profile lawyer whose other clients include Elon Musk, Jay-Z, Mick Jagger and Naomi Osaka
Baldwin was a producer and the star of Rust when he shot dead cinematographer Hutchins, 42, a mother-of-one, while filming with a prop gun that had a live round inside it. The film’s director Joel Souza was also injured.
The stakes for Baldwin are incredibly high and were starkly illustrated in February when Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, the armorer on the set, went on trial and was found guilty for the same charges in the same court.
Halyna Hutchins died after being hit by a bullet from the prop gun that Baldwin was handling
In the court, Baldwin sat at the defense table and appeared nervous while Hilaria and his brother Stephen Baldwin, who is also an actor, sat behind him in the public gallery.
In her opening statement, Erlinda Johnson, a special prosecutor appointed to the case, said that Baldwin had ‘violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety’ and that he was ‘reckless’ on set.
She told jurors: ‘When someone plays make believe with a real gun in a real life workplace and while playing with the gun violates the cardinal rules of gun safety people’s lives are endangered and somebody could be killed.
‘That’s what this case is about. It’s simple, straightforward. That someone who played make believe with a real gun and violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety is the defendant, Alexander Baldwin.’
While defense lawyer Alex Spiro told jurors that the death of Hutchins had been an ‘unspeakable tragedy’ but that Baldwin committed no crime.
The movie was being shot on the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set in Santa Fe
Baldwin, seen here outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s offices on the day of the shooting, was sensationally charged for a second time in January this year
In his opening statement, Spiro said: ‘There were people responsible for ensuring the safety of the firearm. Those people failed in their duties.
‘On this set there was a real bullet something that should never be on a movie set.
‘You will hear no evidence that Baldwin had anything to do with that real bullet being bought on that set.
‘The actor’s job is to act, he’s Harlan Rust, he’s an outlaw running for his life. In this incident he’s pulling a six shooter.
Spiro told the court that investigators in the case saw Baldwin as being a ‘shiny object’ they could go for.
Former Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy Nicholas LeFleur was called as the first witness in the case, with the jury being shown footage from his body cam that he wore that day.
Hutchins can be seen laying on her back inside the set with tubes coming out of her body as medical teams tend to her.
LeFleur can be heard saying: ‘One female shot in the chest, male shot in the stomach’ and calling for an air evacuation.
Director Joel Souza can be heard shouting out in pain and is seen thrashing his legs around in the clip.
A woman helping Hutchins to breathe says: ‘Halyna deep breath, deep breath there you go. Deep breath Halyna. Jesus’.
Baldwin speaks with his attorney Alex Spiro during his hearing in Santa Fe County District Court, in Santa Fe,
Baldwin appeared to struggle at one point while watching the footage and put his hand on his forehead. His wife and brother watched intently from the public gallery
Hutchins can be seen laying on her back inside the set with tubes coming out of her body as medical teams tend to her in footage shown in court on Wednesday
Baldwin appeared to struggle at one point while watching the footage and put his hand on his forehead. His wife and brother watched intently from the public gallery.
Several crew members and paramedics could be seen lifting Hutchins up on a stretcher. One person had a mask over her mouth and was pumping it to help her breathe.
The footage also showed Baldwin in the immediate aftermath of the incident, speaking with crew members despite being ordered not to by cops.
Dave Halls, the First Assistant Director, who had handed Baldwin the gun also arrives on the scene.
Halls would later take a plea deal and serve months probation after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge.
Photos taken by detectives with Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office show the aftermath of the incident in October 2021
Law enforcement officer Nicholas LeFleur testifies during actor Alec Baldwin’s hearing at Santa Fe County District Court
The trial is the culmination of a nightmare for Mr Baldwin that has lasted for nearly three years and has finally come to court.
The Emmy award winning actor, 66, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The case has had a long and tortured path to trial: Baldwin was originally charged in January 2023 with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
They were dropped three months later in light of new evidence, prosecutors said, adding they needed more time to investigate.
Baldwin was sensationally charged for a second time in January this year with the same charges.
Baldwin and his wife are currently filming a reality TV series about their family. It is not clear if a camera crew is trailing them in New Mexico, but the show is due to air in 2025 meaning filming is likely underway now.
The case is expected to hear eight days of evidence and argument, followed by deliberations.