- READ MORE: Alec Baldwin appears at court alongside wife Hilaria as actor goes on trial over fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer
Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria headed out to a family dinner just hours after jury selection was completed for the Rust actor's manslaughter trial.
The actor, 66, was seen in exclusive DailyMail.com photos while strolling down the street in Santa Fe, New Mexico along with Hilaria and one of their seven children, 21-month-old Ilaria.
Alec was wearing glasses and pushing an empty stroller as his wife walked in front of him while cradling their child. They then walked around the block to dine at Pranzo, an Italian restaurant serving up pizza.
The actor shed his tie for the evening but wore the same grey suit as he did in court earlier in the day.
During the proceedings, 16 jurors were seated for Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial over the tragic shooting on the set of the film 'Rust' in October 2021.
Alec Baldwin could be seen pushing a stroller hours after a jury was selected for his manslaughter trial
Hilaria Baldwin was all smiles as she held her child in adorable bunny slippers
Baldwin looked unconcerned as he begins a trial that could land him in jail
While Alec remained in his courtroom attire, his wife changed out of the tan pantsuit she wore earlier in the day, in favor of a more casual look with a jean jacket, long black skirt and sandals.
The couple's toddler sported a white sweater over her Little Mermaid PJs and adorable bunny slippers.
The three were joined by another unidentified woman, a possible caretaker, and huddled inside a private room to enjoy some family time.
Their toddler Ilaria was seen standing precariously in his child seat, and Alec took photos of the gathering.
One local man eating at the restaurant told DailyMail.com that he, his wife and their friend who works in film production spent their meal discussing the case, without knowing that Alec Baldwin was there dining with his family in a private room.
‘I had no idea,’ the man marveled, and laughed thinking they may gave been speaking about him within earshot and upset the actor’s appetite.
‘We were talking about the case and didn’t know they were there,’ the man, who works in advertising, said. ‘I hope he couldn’t hear. I was bringing them up to speed on the case. I was saying - maybe you can’t hold an actor totally responsible for knowing the weaponry, but he was also a producer. They’re the ones who hired her (Gutierrez-Reed) when she was clearly not qualified.’
Still he was glad to learn Baldwin chose Pranzo, which he called ‘some of the best Italian in the city.’
The trial will put Baldwin, 66, under intense pressure in a case which his lawyers have called an 'abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme'
Hilaria leaving the restaurant after enjoying New Mexico's finest Italian food
Hours earlier, the star watched as five men and 11 women were chosen by Santa Fe County special prosecutors and the actor’s team of defense attorneys.
Twelve will be designated as the jury and four as alternates by the court only after they hear the case.
The jurors will be tasked with deciding if Alec committed a felony when his revolver fired during rehearsal of his Western film Rust at Bonanza Creek Ranch, around 18 miles from where the trial is being held.
Alec claims he believed the firearm was loaded with blanks when he aimed it at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, with the ensuing gunshot killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
The 30 Rock actor could be forced to serve up to 18 months in prison if the jurors unanimously find him guilty, in a trial expected to last 10 days.
The trial's start comes after a twisting legal saga for the 66-year-old that saw his initial involuntary manslaughter charges dropped in April 2023, before they were brought again by New Mexico prosecutors for a second time in January.
Hilaria and an unnamed caretaker strolled into an Italian restaurant
Baldwin, seen here outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's offices on the day of the shooting, was sensationally charged for a second time in January this year
Baldwin pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys branded the case against him an 'abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme.'
The month after Baldwin was charged again, the film set's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, went on trial and was found guilty and jailed for 18 months for letting the live round get into the gun.
Gutierrez-Reed's trial has offered a preview of the case against Baldwin, with prosecutors expected to accuse him of breaching industry standards about safety on set.
This may include not pointing a gun at anyone or putting your finger on the trigger, alongside allegations that Baldwin was neglectful in his role as producer on the film.
As part of their case, prosecutors are also likely to highlight how the New Mexico safety regulator issued a $136,000 fine to the Rust producers for 'willful and serious' safety failings.
The family enjoyed dinner at Pranzo, an Italian restaurant that serves pizza
As Baldwin's trial began this week, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said that the special circumstances of a celebrity trial shouldn't halt the jury selection process.
Wanting to push ahead with opening statements on Wednesday, Judge Sommer said: 'I'm not worried about being able to pick a jury in one day. I think we're going to pick a jury by the afternoon.'
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey remained dubious that Baldwin's lawyers, with who she has clashed with in the run-up to the trial, would make that happen.
Morrissey told the hearing: 'It is my guess that with this group of defense attorneys, that's not gonna happen.'
Defense attorney Alex Spiro replied: 'I've never not picked a jury in one day. I can't imagine that this would be the first time.'
Despite this, jury selection got off to a slow start in the case with questioning of prospective jurors not starting until more than two hours later due to technical problems.
When Judge Mary Marlowe Summer asked the pool of 70 prospective jurors if they were familiar with the case, all but two raised their hands to indicate they were.
Two others indicated they would not be able to be fair and impartial and were excused. No jurors had been selected before a mid-afternoon lunch break.
Under questioning from prosecutor Kari Morrissey, a potential juror said she hates firearms, but many others acknowledged owning them and few people expressed strong opinions about guns.
