Alec Baldwin Enlists Hollywood Allies for 'Rust' Trial Post-Armorer's Conviction

Actor Alec Baldwin, facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, plans to summon his Hollywood allies to testify in his defense during the upcoming trial for the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust. Following the recent conviction of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for involuntary manslaughter, Baldwin's strategy reportedly involves enlisting famous acquaintances to bolster his case.

Mickey Rourke, Debra Messing, DJ Qualls, Rust co-star Frances Fisher, and other “people who've already spoken out in Alec's defense” are among the witnesses that Baldwin and his defense team have reportedly turned to. Rourke told TMZ, "Whatever Alec needs I’ll be there 100 percent," while he acknowledged that no one from Baldwin's defense team had gotten in touch to discuss a potential testimony.

Rourke continued, "The armorer is 100 percent responsible for any gun handed to an actor." "Especially to an actor who didn't have experience with guns." Back in January 2023, Rourke had previously defended Baldwin. He maintained that since "the guns are supposed to be handled only by" the movie's armorer, there was "no way in hell actor Alec Baldwin should be charged with any negligence whatsoever."

The actor-turned-boxer added in his note that Baldwin was "already suffering enough over what happened" and that "the powers that be charging Baldwin with this responsibility is terribly wrong." In January 2023, Frances Fisher, Baldwin's co-star in Rust, also voiced support for Baldwin.

She wrote last year, "Anyone NOT in the industry or who has not worked on a set should STFU – you're showing your ignorance." "Who put a live round in the gun? The grandstanding prosecutor doesn’t even go after the true culprit." Fisher went on at that point. "There is NO investigation about that. THAT is the question."

As previously revealed by Radar Online, Baldwin was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year about Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' unintentional on-set shooting death on October 21, 2021.

In January, Baldwin entered a not-guilty plea to the allegation of involuntary manslaughter. On July 10, his trial is set to begin in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In court on Wednesday, Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty despite having entered a not-guilty plea to one charge of involuntary manslaughter related to Hutchins's death in October 2021.

The 12 jurors concluded that Hutchins' sad death was a "foreseeable" result of Gutierrez-armorereed's actions and that the armorer acted with a "willful disregard for the safety of others" on the Rust set in October 2021. Later this year, at a sentencing hearing, Gutierrez-Reed, 26, will receive his term.

She is subject to a $5,000 punishment in addition to a maximum of 18 months in jail for the involuntary manslaughter of Hutchins. As per OK! Magazine, Baldwin was described as "nervous" following Gutierrez- conviction Reed's this week.