Two Alec Baldwin Jurors Leaned Toward Guilty When Case Was Dismissed

Two jurors involved in Alec Baldwin’s trial have revealed to Variety that they were leaning toward a guilty verdict when the involuntary manslaughter case against him was unexpectedly dismissed. Their opinions contrast with those of three other jurors who expressed serious doubts about Baldwin’s culpability to both the New York Times and People.

The case was dismissed on July 12 by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer after it was discovered that prosecutors had not provided the defense with evidence related to a significant number of bullets. Had Baldwin been convicted for the October 2021 shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, he could have faced up to 18 months in prison. This incident occurred at a film ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Chris Montoya and Dennis Garcia, the two jurors who spoke to Variety, mentioned their background as gun owners and emphasized that it is the handler’s duty to ensure a firearm’s safety. Garcia, a plumber, stated, “Even if your friends are handing you a firearm for you to look at, you always clear that immediately. You make sure there’s nothing in it.”

Montoya from New Mexico’s IT department was not convinced by the defense’s argument that Baldwin’s gun might have malfunctioned. “It seemed like their whole defense was he didn’t pull the trigger, and the gun was possibly defective. I truly feel like neither one of those was the case,” he commented.

The trial was expected to last for eight days but was cut short after only the attorneys’ opening statements and two days of testimony. The jury did not get to hear Baldwin’s police interview or the testimony of set safety experts before the case was dismissed.

Jonathan Graboff, another juror, told Variety that he was unsure of his vote as he did not see all the evidence. He was listed as one of four alternates in a court filing but was never informed whether he was an alternate or one of the 12 panel members.

Johanna Haag and Gabriela Picayo, two other jurors, informed the New York Times that they found the case against Baldwin weak. Picayo said she was starting to believe the trial was unnecessary, thinking it “very silly that he should not be on trial.”

Martina Marquez, another juror, told People that pursuing charges against Baldwin seemed “pointless.” Garcia admitted he was torn about the circumstances but believed Baldwin had a responsibility to check the gun. “Looking at it from an objective point of view, when you’re functioning as an individual on a movie set, you should still make sure everything is safe,” he said. “If I had to say anything, I’d say, ‘I’m sorry, but it’s a guilty charge.’ The thing went boom. Somebody died.”

Despite instructions not to discuss the case among themselves, Montoya felt the jury was somewhat split, with a few members leaning toward a guilty verdict. He expressed a desire to delve deeper into the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The prosecution argued Baldwin violated essential gun safety rules by pointing his Colt .45 at Hutchins and pulling the trigger. Montoya remarked, “It goes back to how I was taught. I’ve been shooting since I was a kid. I’ve taught my children to handle guns safely: make sure you know what’s in it, don’t point it, know exactly what you’re shooting at.”

The defense argued that such safety protocols didn’t apply on movie sets and that Baldwin, as an actor, wasn’t responsible for gun safety. Graboff, who has extensive experience in TV and music, said this argument resonated with him. He was surprised to be seated on the jury after mentioning to the judge his work history and its impact on his perspective.

“There’s two people whose job was to make sure it was a safe gun and they failed,” Graboff stated. “If I’m handed a piece of equipment, I expect it to be functioning properly.” He informed the judge that unless there was evidence showing Baldwin and the production team knew the gun handlers were incompetent, he would find it challenging to side with the prosecution.

Despite his hesitation, Graboff was seated, and the prosecutor’s opening statement did not change his reservations. He noted, “Their argument was that he should have checked the gun himself. Y’know, that’s not the way the real world works.”

Overall, while the jurors’ opinions were preliminary, it’s uncertain whether they would have maintained or altered their views after deliberating and examining all the evidence. “It’s hard to make a full assessment,” Garcia admitted.

The jurors were advised to avoid news coverage of the case. Garcia said he stayed away from the news and social media and didn’t engage with friends who informed him about the case dismissal. He returned to court the following Monday, only to be told his jury service was complete.