Alec Baldwin Jurors Speak Out After Case Dismissal

Multiple jurors from Alec Baldwin’s Rust trial are speaking out following the dismissal of the case. In an interview with The New York Times, jurors Johanna Haag and Gabriela Picayo expressed their doubts regarding Baldwin’s case before it was thrown out in court. Haag, juror No. 7, mentioned that as the trial progressed, it didn’t seem like a strong case. Picayo, juror No. 9, noted that she initially tried to stay unbiased but began to believe Baldwin should not be on trial after learning about armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s conviction for involuntary manslaughter.

Haag mentioned that Baldwin’s demeanor of being shocked and stunned made her believe that the on-set shooting was clearly an accident. The incident occurred while Baldwin was filming his movie Rust in October 2021, where a gun misfired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Baldwin was initially charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in January 2023 and pleaded not guilty the following month. The charges were dropped in April 2023, but he was indicted again earlier this year. The trial began on July 9 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and on July 12, First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice.

Following the dismissal, Baldwin broke his silence on Instagram, thanking those who supported him. Despite this legal victory, Gutierrez-Reed is now seeking a new trial or dismissal of past charges based on discovery violations. She was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced to 18 months in prison in April.

A source close to Baldwin and his wife Hilaria revealed that they did not celebrate the case’s dismissal as it has been a devastating situation for them. They are looking ahead to what lies next following this decision.