Alec Baldwin’s Sister Beth Keuchler Cries in Court on First Day of ‘Rust’ Trial
Written by Rtradio on July 10, 2024
Alec Baldwin‘s criminal trial kicked off Wednesday with opening statements, and the proceedings brought at least one of the actor’s family members to tears.
The 66-year-old actor wore a black suit and light purple dress shirt and tie inside the First Judicial District Courthouse, where once again his family showed their support. Alec’s wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and brother, actor Stephen Baldwin, were in the courtroom consoling the 30 Rock star.
But an eyewitness also tells ET that Alec’s sister, Beth Keuchler, was also in court supporting her brother. The eyewitness said that “Stephen was seen consoling his sister, who was crying during opening statements.” Once the court went on break, the eyewitness says “Elizabeth and Stephen went out into the hallway, where Stephen continued to console his sister, who was visibly emotional, crying and wiping away tears.”
The eyewitness further stated that before the break ended, “Alec joined his family and hugged his sister.”
Baldwin is standing trial for one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film in October 2021. If convicted, he faces up to 18 months in prison. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was previously convicted and sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
Tuesday’s pre-trial hearing concluded with the selection of 12 jurors and four alternates. On Wednesday, special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson sought to paint Alec as careless in her opening statement.
“You will see him using this gun as a pointer to point at people, to point at things,” she said via Court TV‘s livestream of the trial. “You will see him cock the hammer when he’s not supposed to.”
She added, “You will see him put his finger on the trigger when his finger is not supposed to be on the trigger. You will hear about numerous breaches of firearm safety with this defendant and this use of his firearm.”
Johnson concluded her opening statement by saying Alec acted in “reckless disregard” that cost Hutchins her life.
Alec’s defense attorney, Alex Spiro, insisted in his opening statement that “the gun was double checked” and “verified it was a cold gun” and that Alec was never made aware that there was a live round in the revolver.
“It had been checked and double checked by those responsible for ensuring the gun was safe,” Spiro said. “He did not tamper with it, he did not load it himself. He did not leave it unattended.”
He added that “no actor in history” has “intercepted a live bullet from a prop gun” and that “no one could have imagined or expected an actor to do that,” in response to the special prosecutor claiming in her opening statement that Alec “violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety” on the set of Rust.
Alec, who was also joined by the youngest of his seven children on Tuesday, has repeatedly insisted he did not pull the trigger on the prop gun that killed Hutchins.
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