Sixteen jurors were seated Tuesday for Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial in New Mexico, where opening statements are set to start Wednesday. Five men and 11 women were chosen by Santa Fe County special prosecutors and the actor's team of defence attorneys. Twelve will be designated as the jury and four as alternates by the court, only after they hear the case.
They'll be tasked with deciding whether Baldwin committed the felony when, during a rehearsal in October 2021, a revolver went off while he was pointing it at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. They were on the set of the Western film Rust , at Bonanza Creek Ranch some 29 kilometres from where the trial is being held. The selection got off to a slow start Tuesday with a delay of over two hours due to technical problems, but the panel was selected in a single day, as expected.
When Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer asked the pool of 70 possible jurors if they were familiar with the case, all but two raised their hands to indicate they were. Two others indicated they would not be able to be fair and impartial and were excused. WATCH | Video released from Rust on-set shooting: Video released from Baldwin shooting on Rust movie set 2 years ago Duration 2:11 The sheriff's office of Santa Fe County, N.
M., has released officer body camera footage of the aftermath of the deadly shooting on the set of the film Rust. Video of actor Alec Baldwin rehearsing with his gun has also been .
