Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria headed out to a family dinner just hours after jury selection was completed for the Rust actor’s murder trial.
The 66-year-old actor was seen in exclusive photos from DailyMail.com as he strolled down the street in Santa Fe, New Mexico, alongside Hilaria and one of their seven children, Ilaria, 21 months.
Alec wore glasses and pushed an empty stroller while his wife walked ahead of him, cradling their son. I walked around the block to have dinner at Pranzo, an Italian restaurant that serves pizza.
The actor took off his tie for the evening, but wore the same gray suit he wore in court earlier that day.
During the proceedings, 16 jurors were seated for Baldwin’s manslaughter trial for the tragic shooting on the set of the film ‘Rust’ in October 2021.
Alec Baldwin was seen pushing a stroller hours after a jury was selected for his murder trial.
Hilaria Baldwin was all smiles as she held her son in adorable bunny slippers.
Baldwin appeared unconcerned as a trial that could land him in jail begins.
While Alec remained in his court attire, his wife changed out of the tan pantsuit she wore earlier in the day, in favor of a more casual look featuring a jean jacket, a long black skirt and sandals.
The couple’s little girl wore a white sweater over her Little Mermaid pajamas and adorable bunny slippers.
The three were joined by another unidentified woman, a possible caregiver, and huddled inside a private room to enjoy some family time.
Their little girl Ilaria was seen standing precariously in her child seat, and Alec took photographs of the reunion.
A local man who was eating at the restaurant told DailyMail.com that he, his wife and their friend who works in film production spent the meal discussing the case, unaware that Alec Baldwin was there dining with his family in a private room.
“I had no idea,” the man marveled, laughing at the thought that they might have been talking about him within earshot and upsetting the actor’s appetite.
“We were talking about the case and we didn’t know they were there,” said the man, who works in advertising. “I hope he couldn’t hear me. I was updating them on the case. I was telling them that maybe you can’t hold an actor fully responsible for knowing about guns, but he was also a producer. They were the ones who hired her (Gutiérrez-Reed) when she was clearly not qualified.”
Still, he was pleased to learn that Baldwin had chosen Pranzo, whom he called “one of the best Italians in town.”
The trial will put Baldwin, 66, under intense pressure in a case his lawyers have called “an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled on to the extreme.”
Hilaria leaving the restaurant after enjoying the best Italian food in New Mexico.
Hours earlier, the star watched as five men and 11 women were chosen by Santa Fe County special prosecutors and the actor’s team of defense attorneys.
Twelve will be appointed as jurors and four as alternates by the court only after hearing the case.
Jurors will be tasked with deciding whether Alec committed a felony when his revolver went off during rehearsal for his Western film Rust at Bonanza Creek Ranch, about 18 miles from where the trial is being held.
Alec claims he believed the gun was loaded with blanks when he pointed it at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and that the resulting shot killed her and injured director Joel Souza.
The 30 Rock actor could face up to 18 months in prison if jurors unanimously find him guilty in a trial expected to last 10 days.
The start of the trial comes after a complicated legal saga for the 66-year-old, who saw his initial manslaughter charges dropped in April 2023, before New Mexico prosecutors refiled them for a second time in January.
Hilaria and an anonymous caregiver entered an Italian restaurant.
Baldwin, seen here outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s offices on the day of the shooting, was sensationally charged for a second time in January of this year.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers have called the case against him “an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled upon to the extreme.”
The month after Baldwin was charged again, the film set’s gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, went to trial and was found guilty and jailed for 18 months for letting live ammunition into the gun.
Gutierrez-Reed’s trial has offered a preview of the case against Baldwin, with prosecutors expected to charge him with violating industry standards on on-set safety.
This may include not pointing a gun at anyone or putting his finger on the trigger, as well as allegations that Baldwin was negligent in his role as producer of the film.
As part of their case, prosecutors are also likely to highlight how New Mexico’s safety regulator issued a $136,000 fine to Rust producers for “willful and serious” safety failures.
The family enjoyed dinner at Pranzo, an Italian restaurant that serves pizza.
As Baldwin’s trial began this week, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said the special circumstances of a celebrity trial should not stop the jury selection process.
Judge Sommer, who wants to move forward with opening statements on Wednesday, said: “I’m not worried about being able to pick a jury in one day. I think we’ll pick a jury in the afternoon.”
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey remains doubtful that Baldwin’s lawyers, with whom she clashed in the run-up to the trial, will make that happen.
Morrissey told the hearing: “I’m guessing with this group of defense attorneys that’s not going to happen.”
Defense attorney Alex Spiro responded: “I’ve never picked a jury in one day. I can’t imagine this is the first time.”
Despite this, jury selection got off to a slow start in the case and questioning of potential jurors did not begin until more than two hours later due to technical issues.
When Judge Mary Marlowe Summer asked the group of 70 potential jurors if they were familiar with the case, all but two raised their hands to indicate they were.
Two others indicated they could not be fair and impartial and were excused. No jury had been selected by the mid-afternoon lunch break.
Under questioning by prosecutor Kari Morrissey, one potential juror said he hates guns, but many others acknowledged owning them and few people expressed strong opinions about guns.