Santa Fe, New Mexico — Her husband is an actor, but some legal experts thought Hilaria Baldwin was having some drama of her own Tuesday morning at a New Mexico courthouse swarmed by media.
Shortly before jury selection began, the polarizing yogi, who along with her spouse, Alec Baldwin, faces felony manslaughter charges, drove out with the couple’s children in a black SUV. The Santa Fe Building now in sunlight.
The toddler, one of the couple’s seven children, was removed from the car. Hilaria held the baby girl in front of the camera before quickly handing her over to her caregiver. A short time later, the baby and caregiver left in the same SUV.
Legal observers speculate that the Baldwins wanted to humanize the abrasive actor in the eyes of the public and even potential jurors.
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Actor Alec Baldwin, left, and wife Hilaria Baldwin hold their children during jury selection for their involuntary manslaughter trial, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in Santa Fe, New Mexico (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
“It’s unusual to bring kids because it’s not really a good place for kids,” divorce attorney Christopher C. Melcher told Fox News Digital. “You have to think, if they have a nanny taking care of them, why would they take the kids with them instead of doing a show?”
He said the Baldwins knew photos of mother and son arriving at the courthouse would soon circulate online.
“They could have afforded child care. The courts are not really a good place for children. So, it does seem strategic.”
“There are a lot of people who have to go to court, and they don’t have child care, and they have to go to court with their kids,” Melcher said. “That happens all the time. But, you know, that’s not the case with the Baldwins. They would have been able to afford childcare. So, it does seem strategic.”
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Baldwin was known for his short temper and confrontation with the media and the public, and some believed that Baldwin’s reputation could damage his case.
“As a defense attorney, you always want to humanize the person on trial to show that they are more than just this incident under the microscope,” said New Mexico attorney Elizabeth Bunker. “Getting the family “The support can show the jury that a lot of people care about the outcome of the case and can subtly encourage them to really dig deep and focus on the facts.”
Bunker warned, however, that the presence of Hilaria and company might also elicit eye rolls from Santa Fe residents.
“On the other hand, getting too much empathy can be counterproductive,” she said. “If there is any sense of desperation, my experience is that jurors will naturally reject anything that is inauthentic and overly staged.”
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Alec and Hilaria have been married for 12 years and have seven children. (Getty Images)
While the artsy New Mexico town has attracted a trendy segment of residents over the years, an attorney warns that many locals, including potential jurors, may not pay much attention to celebrities and may even harbor a suspicion of the rich and famous disgust.
“If people think you have a nanny 24 hours a day, the risk could backfire,” said New York attorney Mark Bederow. “Why would you take a baby out of an SUV just to use the baby as a prop?” Leave it to someone else. It might be seen as a contrived way to gain public support and positive coverage.”
The actor recently announced plans to star in the TLC reality show The Baldwins alongside his wife and children, which he wrote will showcase his family’s “highs and lows, the good, the bad, the wild and the crazy.” .
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Stephen Baldwin, brother of actor Alec Baldwin, leaves a courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Tuesday, July 9, 2024 (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
But Melcher added that the embattled actor faces a largely unwinn PR dilemma. He noted that Hilaria’s absence would raise questions about her lack of support for her husband.
“With the stakes so high, you would expect supporters to be there and close family to be there,” he said. “I think her absence will hurt.”
Photo: Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin leave the courthouse after jury selection
Baldwin’s brother, Stephen Baldwin, was also in court Tuesday, sitting with Hilaria in the back row of the courtroom.
Jury selection began around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after a two-hour delay in the morning. A jury of 16 people, including four alternates, was selected to hear arguments in the manslaughter case. Eleven of the jurors selected are women and five are men.
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In October 2021, Baldwin accidentally opened fire on the set of the movie “Rust,” killing cameraman Halina Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. He faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted, but has pleaded not guilty.
The “30 Rock” actor insists he cocked the hammer but never pulled the trigger. Prosecutors countered that the pistol could not have been fired if Baldwin had not fired the weapon.
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