Stephen Baldwin Shows Support for Brother Alec Baldwin as His Rust Trial Gets Underway

Stephen Baldwin is in New Mexico to support his brother Alec ahead of his criminal trial. He was spotted at the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday, July 10, next to his brother Alec’s wife, Hilaria Baldwin, at the start of the actor’s involuntary manslaughter trial.

In case you missed it, Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter trial stems from the 2021 on-set fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Western film ‘Rust.’

Stephen arrived alongside his and Alec’s older sister Beth Keuchler, 68. Stephen and Hilaria, 40, were spotted with other audience members in a row behind Alec, 66, as the trial began with remarks from Alec’s lawyers and the prosecutors on Wednesday.

Hilaria, whom Alec married in 2012 and has seven children with, was also at the courthouse with her husband and two of the children for jury selection on Tuesday, 9 July.

Stephen, 58, is the youngest of Alec’s three brothers, all of whom are actors, along with brothers Daniel, 63, and Billy, 61. The family also includes two sisters, Beth Keuchler and Jane, 59.

Alec Baldwin’s Intentions For His Trail

Despite Alec’s intention to face his criminal trial alone, a source recently informed PEOPLE that his family will support him during the process.

If convicted, he may spend up to 18 months behind bars. “Alec wants to put on a brave face and go to the trial alone, but his family will be present to support him,” the source said.

Alec’s criminal trial is now on the docket for six months after he entered his not-guilty plea in January – shortly after he faced an indictment on the involuntary manslaughter charge from a grand jury.

Shortly before his April 15 sentencing and hearing, a source told PEOPLE that the actor was ‘stressed’ and ‘understandably worried’ over the trial after Rust’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in February and sentenced to the maximum 18 months in prison.

At the time, the insider pointed out, “He has an excellent legal team. I don’t think anyone is thinking jail time, but given the decision for Ms. Gutierrez-Reed it’s hard to know.”

Alec’s Claim Is Countered

In more than two years since the fatal October 2021 on-set incident, Alec has consistently stated he did not pull the trigger of the prop gun when it discharged, shooting cinematographer Hutchins and additionally injuring “Rust” director Joel Souza. He has also stated he did not know the gun mistakenly contained live ammunition.

Alec’s assertion that he did not pull the gun was contested by the prosecution during the July 10 opening arguments.

Special Prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson remarked, “You’ll see the video footage of the multiple occasions during which the defendant used this firearm on the set, and each time he fired it, it was working just fine,” as reported by NBC News. “And in fact, you’ll hear evidence that the defendant himself admitted in December of 2021 that this gun didn’t have any mechanical problems.”

However, Alec’s legal team came to his defense, telling the jury he committed “no crime.” “He was an actor, acting, playing the role of Harlan Rust,” attorney Alex Spiro said, according to NBC News. “An actor, playing a character, can act in ways that are lethal that just aren’t lethal on a movie set. These cardinal rules, they’re not cardinal rules on a movie set.”

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