Judge in Alec Baldwin Rust manslaughter trial says producer status irrelevant

On Monday, a New Mexico judge approved and rejected a number of items both prosecutors and the defense were hoping to have entered into evidence in Alec Baldwin's manslaughter case. Among the facts barred from being used against the actor was his role as co-producer of the film, Rust, which Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer deemed irrelevant as to whether or not he was guilty of shooting Halyna Hutchins to death while on set.

The trial will begin on Tuesday with the selection of a jury, and is scheduled to last 10 days. If found guilty, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison, which was the sentence handed down to armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed earlier this year for her role in the incident.

According to the Associated Press, special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson argued that Baldwin was "keenly aware" of his obligations as a producer when it came to safety, and that he acted with a "total disregard or indifference for the safety of others."

"I'm having real difficulty with the state's position that they want to show that as a producer he didn't follow guidelines and therefore as an actor Mr. Baldwin did all of these things wrong that resulted in the death of Ms. Hutchins because as a producer he allowed these things to happen," Sommer replied, per the AP. "I'm denying evidence of his status as a producer."

Other items denied from being entered into evidence include a letter signed by crew members claiming that the set of Rust was not as dangerous as prosecutors have made it out to be, as well as any discussion of fatal shootings on other movie sets. Sommer also made it clear that any attempts to make the jury feel sympathetic for Baldwin, such as discussing the impact it had on him and his family, will also not be allowed.

Baldwin's lawyers have argued that there was no way live rounds could have ended up on set, however Sommer allowed the prosecution to reference the fact that blank rounds can also be fatal, but only once. The armorer for the project was already tried and sentenced to prison for her role in Hutchins' death.