Two jurors in Alec Baldwin's "Rust" involuntary manslaughter trial revealed they harbored doubts about the actor's guilt even before the charge was dismissed. The prosecution's case hinged on allegations of Baldwin's recklessness on set with firearms, but the jurors questioned the validity of these claims.
In a stunning victory for Alec Baldwin, the judge presiding over his "Rust" involuntary manslaughter trial dismissed the charge with prejudice on July 12. The dismissal came after two days of prosecution testimony, leaving many wondering what went wrong. Now, it has been revealed that two jurors had doubts about Baldwin's guilt even before the trial began.
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
Juror No. 7, Johanna Haag, told The New York Times in a phone interview that the prosecution's case "just didn't seem like a very strong case." Haag explained that she was not convinced that Baldwin had acted with "willful disregard" on the set of "Rust," as the prosecution had alleged.
"Baldwin just looked shocked and stunned and so sad," Haag said, recalling footage of the immediate aftermath of the shooting. "It was clearly an accident, and the idea that there’s anything purposeful, or the idea that there was this grave carelessness that caused this, didn’t seem realistic to me."
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
Juror No. 9, identified in court documents as Gabriele Picayo, echoed Haag's doubts. Picayo said that her perspective began to shift when she learned that Baldwin did not load the gun himself.
"I’m still here, I’m still open to hearing and obviously trying to stay unbiased, but I was starting to move towards the direction of thinking that this was very silly, and he should not be on trial," Picayo told The New York Times.
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
Picayo expressed the belief that as an actor, Baldwin did not have a duty to inspect the firearm on set. "Alec Baldwin is an actor, right?" she asked. "I think he would have trusted the people, you know, on the set to do their job."
The prosecution's case rested heavily on accusations that Baldwin had been reckless on set with firearms and had failed to attend safety meetings. However, the jurors questioned the validity of these claims.
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
"I’m not convinced that he was a danger on set," Haag said. "I think he was an actor. He didn’t know much about guns."
Picayo added that she did not believe Baldwin was aware of the "grave carelessness" that allegedly led to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death. "I think he thought that the gun was unloaded," Picayo said.
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
The jury was only exposed to two days of testimony before the charge was dismissed. Had the trial proceeded, the prosecution would have had to prove that Baldwin acted with "willful disregard" for safety on the set of "Rust."
Legal experts have speculated that the prosecution may have made strategic errors in their handling of the case. Some believe that the prosecution should have called more witnesses, including Baldwin himself. Others have argued that the prosecution should have focused on different aspects of the case, such as Baldwin's alleged negligence in handling firearms.
Alec Baldwin's "Rust" Manslaughter Case Dismissed: Doubts Lingered from the Start
Despite the dismissal of the criminal charges, the civil lawsuit filed by Hutchins' family against Baldwin is still ongoing. The outcome of the civil trial could have a significant impact on Baldwin's career and reputation.
