AceShowbiz - On Wednesday, July 10, Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial began with opening statements. Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson accused Baldwin of reckless behavior, including skipping safety checks and violating firearm safety rules. However, defense attorney Alex Spiro argued that Baldwin was acting responsibly as an actor and that the shooting was an "unspeakable tragedy" caused by others.

During the first day of the trial, body camera footage from the scene was played, showing Halyna Hutchins's final moments as she received medical attention. The footage visibly affected Baldwin, who watched with a neutral expression while others in the courtroom grimaced or took notes.

Nicholas LaFleur, a former deputy with the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office who was the first officer to arrive on the scene, testified about his interaction with Baldwin. Video from his body camera showed Baldwin answering questions and asking about the victims' locations, despite being instructed not to speak to others.

The prosecution's opening statement alleged that Baldwin pointed the gun at Hutchins, cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger, even though the firearm was supposed to be unloaded. The defense disputed this claim, arguing that Baldwin did not pull the trigger and that the gun contained live ammunition due to negligence by others.

The prosecution also played a video from the scene in which Baldwin practiced the "cross draw" move with the gun before the fatal shooting. The defense claimed that this video showed Baldwin acting safely and discussing with others how to position himself.

Additional law enforcement officers testified about their roles in the investigation, including the handling of the prop gun and ammunition. The first witness was Nicholas Lefleur, who responded to the scene and spoke to Baldwin. Santa Fe County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Lujan retrieved a projectile from Director Joel Souza's shoulder, who was also injured in the shooting. Marissa Poppell, a crime scene technician, testified that the prop gun was sent to the FBI for testing and returned with damage.

The trial stems from the fatal incident on October 21, 2021, when Baldwin was rehearsing a scene with a prop gun on the "Rust" set. The gun, which was believed to be unloaded, fired a live round, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza. The shooting shocked the entertainment industry and raised questions about firearms safety on movie sets.

In previous statements, Baldwin has denied pulling the trigger but admitted to cocking the hammer of the gun. The trial is expected to last for about two weeks.