SANTA FE, N.M. — Santa Fe is used to tourists. But not like this.
Alec Baldwin swept into town this week for the start of his involuntary manslaughter trial, and he’s not exactly getting a warm welcome from New Mexicans.
A small crowd of local spectators came out to the courthouse as lawyers delivered opening statements. Baldwin, 66, is accused of firing a real gun mistakenly loaded with a live round on the set of the Western “Rust” — killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounding director Joel Souza in October 2021.
Background actor Janelle Rogers and a friend held signs that said on one side, “Justice for Halyna” and on the other “Safety on set! Is a must! No excuses!!”
Rogers, an Albuquerque resident who once appeared on “Better Call Saul,” criticized the industry, saying, “There is no safety on set.”
“Safety is a must on set regardless of who you are or where you are,” Rogers said. “Halyna Hutchins shouldn’t have died.”
Rogers said she has a friend that worked as an extra on “Rust” and she believes a lot of people had to have screwed up for the shooting to have been allowed to occur.
“I blame a lot of people for her death. It’s multiple people. Just because you’re an actor or not a producer, doesn’t mean you’re exempt,” Rogers said.
She also blasted the “30 Rock” star for making a reality TV show “The Baldwins” with wife Hilaria Baldwin and his seven kids, which is slated to premiere on TLC next year.
“It’s a joke,” Rogers said of the show. “I think he’s doing that for a publicity stunt.”
Hilaria and Baldwin brought their baby to court Tuesday for jury selection, but none of there children were present Wednesday.
“I think it’s absolutely grotesque and then he came over here with his wife and baby,” Rogers said. “She has no business being here. I think it’s a huge publicity stunt promoting him.”
“It’s egotistical, it’s narcissistic. We’ve noticed that when he played Trump,” Rogers said, referring to Baldwin’s recurring role on “Saturday Night Live” parodying the former president.
“He played that part easy. Why is that? The attitude of ‘I’m above everyone else.’ Immunity. Exceptions.”
Rachel Jarrell, 32, was first in line to attend trial Wednesday after driving an hour from her home in Rio Rancho, N.M.
Jarrell, a stay-at-home mom of two, said she followed along closely during a separate trial against “Rust” rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — who was sentenced to 18 months behind bars after she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March.
“I watched the Gutierrez case,” Jarrell said. “[I’m] super excited it was in my home state. [I] drove about an hour to be here.”
Jarrell said she’s an advocate for stricter gun safety laws and added that she wants justice for Hutchins.
As for the Baldwins’ upcoming reality show, Jarrell said: “I think that was wild to capitalize off a tragedy for fame. I thought that was sad.”
“I would say Halyna’s death is a tragedy. To ride that off a wave into a reality show,” she added.
Santa Fe resident Frank Winberly, 81, said he didn’t buy Baldwin’s claims in the media following Hutchins’ death that he didn’t pull the trigger on his .45-caliber replica Colt revolver.
“The hammer won’t fall unless you pull the trigger,” Winberly said. “I think he pulled the trigger.”
Baldwin lawyer Alex Spiro Wednesday morning said his client didn’t “intentionally” pull the trigger — an apparent attempt to backtrack on Baldwin’s previous denial.
Spiro said blame for Hutchins’ death should lay with Gutierrez-Reed and others on set who were responsible for the safe use of weapons during filming. Spiro said Baldwin was simply doing his job of acting, when he fired the gun, which was never supposed to contain a live round.
But prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo argued during her openings that Baldwin “played make-believe with a real gun” and flouted gun safety rules, contributing to the fatal tragedy.
Hilaria and Baldwin’s brother Stephen Baldwin were both seated in the courtroom gallery a few rows behind the embattled actor as trial got underway Wednesday.
Alec and Hilaria got a slightly warmer reception after the end of proceedings on Wednesday.
After leaving court, the Baldwins went shopping along a touristy stretch of downtown Santa Fe before grabbing Starbucks. The couple was spotted with their toddler.
Alec pushed an empty stroller as Hilaria held the little girl’s hand.
He signed autographs for fans inside the coffee shop.
“I was going to ask for a selfie for dad but I didn’t want to because he’s going through a hard time,” a girl said after leaving Starbucks.
“He was a very, very nice man,” said Lucille Roybal, of Santa Fe, who got an autograph addressed to her 2-year-old son Ocean.
“He was a very sweet man to take his time to give Ocean his autograph.”
Roybal added: “I don’t think he should be found guilty. No, it’s my opinion. I think there should have been people who took care of the gun.”