Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ shooting trial: Experts warn armorer’s maximum sentence is ominous sign for actor

Actor heading to court in July for his involuntary manslaughter trial

“This is bad news for Alec Baldwin and shows the court is taking this fatal shooting seriously and that it’s not just for show, as his defenders claim,” Los Angeles personal injury attorney Miguel Custodio, co-founder of Custodio and Dubey LLP, told Fox News Digital. “A plea deal would be the best strategy for him right now, considering [Monday’s] sentencing and the information the prosecution has about the chaos on the set and Baldwin’s failure to do anything about it. But I don’t see that happening.”

“Baldwin may think that he will have an easier time if he believes that his team can convince a jury to see that the only culpable party has already been convicted. That’s a risky proposition, given Baldwin’s role as a producer actually involves him in all aspects of the production. Potential jurors will clearly know what went on with Gutierrez Reed and will really scrutinize Baldwin’s lack of responsibility for the chaos on the set.”

A jury will likely hear the prosecution claim that Baldwin did oversee “chaos” on the “Rust” set and knew Gutierrez Reed was “overwhelmed with her duties but chose not to do anything about it,” according to Custodio.

“And remember, Alec Baldwin will be in the same court, with the same judge, in the same community, with prosecutors presenting many of the same facts. And he’s facing the same sentence: 18 months imprisonment.”