Director Rust among witnesses listed for Alec Baldwin’s preliminary hearing
Rust film director Joel Souza is one of more than 40 witnesses who could be called to testify at Alec Baldwin’s preliminary hearing.
The list of 44 people, released by the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s Office, also includes lighting director Serge Svetnoy and script supervisor Mamie Mitchell.
Baldwin will make his first appearance in US court on February 24 over the death of Halyna Hutchins, when he will face two counts of manslaughter along with the film’s armor wearer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed .
He will appear at Santa Fe Magistrates Court at 10am (5pm UK) for a hearing on charges against him, although the PA news agency understands the appearance could be made via video.
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The actor will make his debut in US court on Halyna Hutchins’ death on February 24 (Ian West/PA)
Souza was also injured in an incident on set in New Mexico in October 2021, but no charges will be filed in a non-lethal shooting.
The hearing, chaired by Judge Mary Marlowe Summer, is expected to see prosecutors roll out some of the case content in an effort to move forward with the trial.
Other witnesses on the DA’s list include several officers from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department and FBI forensic experts, as well as members of the film’s production crew.
Armorer mentor Seth Kenney and prop master Sarah Zachry are among those listed.
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Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed on the set of the movie Rust in October 2021 (Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department/PA)
In a probable cause statement filed with the charges against Baldwin, the DA accused the actor of “intentionally disregarding” the safety of others in the days leading up to the incident. .
It added that he was not present for “mandatory” gun training – instead he underwent a 30-minute practice session at the studio, during which he was distracted by a family phone calls.
The statement said that on the day of the shooting, there were “no less than a dozen reckless acts or omissions” on set in the period prior to the incident.
Last November, a judge rejected Baldwin’s motion to dismiss a separate civil lawsuit filed by Mitchell.
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The lawsuit alleges that Baldwin fired the weapon when acting was not required in the Western scenario.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/rust-director-among-witnesses-listed-for-alec-baldwin-preliminary-hearing-42330560.html Director Rust among witnesses listed for Alec Baldwin’s preliminary hearing