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Are Alec Bladwin's Defence Attorneys 'Frustrated' Because Of The Prosecutor? A Legal Expert Weighs In
Alec Baldwin's defense attorneys express frustration with the prosecutor, and a legal expert weighs in. Read on to learn more!
Trigger Warning: This article contains the mention of manslaughter and murder.
As the third day of Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial approaches, the defense team appears uneasy. Former Los Angeles deputy district attorney and legal expert Emily D. Baker claims that prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey's demanding and methodical style is frustrating Baldwin's defense team, particularly attorney Alex Spiro.
Observing the trial without being involved, Baker observes that Morrissey's tactics are creating problems for the defense. As both sides continue their arguments, the prosecution continues to garner a lot of attention.
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Courtroom dynamics in Baldwin case
Attorney Kari Morrissey has been assertively managing proceedings in the courtroom, which has clearly frustrated the defense team. According to Baker, Morrissey's proactive approach includes frequent interruptions, objections, and vocal participation, which appears to shake the defense's confidence. Notably, Morrissey is collaborating with prosecutor Erlinda Johnson, who gave the prosecution's opening statement.
Baker cited an instance where the defense posed an "improper question" to Marissa Poppell, a crime scene technician with the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office. The question concerned evidence gathered on the set of the 2021 film Rust, in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died in a tragic accidental shooting.
Rather than use the words "objection" and "ground," Baker claimed, she just angrily said, "Your Honor, please," to the judge. The defense lawyer was then cautioned by the judge not to act in the same way again. This demonstrates the communication between the lawyers.
Baldwin entered a not-guilty plea to the charge of involuntary manslaughter. In January, he was charged with Hutchins's murder. A gun went off during a scene rehearsal in a church, killing director Joel Souza and seriously hurting Hutchins. Baldwin insists he was unaware that the gun was loaded with live rounds when he pulled the trigger.
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Alec Baldwin trial: Gun safety and legal maneuvers
The prosecutors claim Baldwin was "reckless" on set and violated standard gun safety protocol while attempting to prove he did indeed pull the trigger. On Thursday, July 10, Alessandro Pietta, the gun's manufacturer, testified in court that the gun "cannot fire without a pull of the trigger because the mechanics and design of the trigger were made to work in this way."
During cross-examination, the defense, which had objected to Pietta's testimony, confirmed that Pietta had not seen or known about its condition on the Rust set. Baker expressed her admiration and surprise at the prosecutors' dedication to flying Pietta from Italy to strengthen their case.
Morrissey, who also prosecuted Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for her responsibility over the weapons on set, secured her conviction for involuntary manslaughter in March following Hutchins' tragic death.
Baker remarked that Spiro had acquired an advantage by attending Hannah Gutierrez's trial, which was unusual for an out-of-state attorney challenging Morrissey in court.
She pointed out that Spiro had the opportunity to observe Morrissey's technique throughout the experiment. Despite his preparation, Morrissey's employment of identical techniques in this trial has unnerved Spiro. The prosecution of Alec Baldwin is scheduled to continue until Friday, July 19. If convicted, Baldwin could face a maximum sentence of up to 18 months in prison.
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