Lawyers pin blame on Baldwin as ‘Rust’ armorer trial opens

Attorneys blamed Alec Baldwin for the deadly shooting on the set of the western movie "Rust" in opening statements Thursday, as they defended the film's armorer against prosecutors' accusations that she was "sloppy and unprofessional."

Cinematographer Halina Hutchins died of her injuries in 2021 after being hit by a live round fired from Baldwin's gun during a rehearsal in New Mexico.

Baldwin, the lead actor and a producer on "Zing," is awaiting his own murder trial in the same Santa Fe court. He has pleaded not guilty and insists he did not pull the trigger, saying that as an actor, he should have been able to trust the professionals around him.