Unable to keep his composure, Alec Baldwin was recorded slapping a phone out of a heckler’s hand during a recent coffee shop visit.
In the video, Baldwin was seen on the phone when the heckler walked up to originally ask the actor to say “Free Palestine.”
They then asked, “Why did you kill that lady and got no jail time? No jail time Alec? No jail time Alec. You’re putting innocent people in jail, Alec Baldwin. Free Palestine.”
They were referring to Haylna Hutchins, the cinematographer who died on the set of Rust when the actor’s prop gun went off. Baldwin claims he did not know the gun was loaded at the time and allegedly pointed the gun at Hutchins. Both Hutchins and the film’s director Joel Souza were hit with the bullet. Souza survived.
As he was exiting the coffee shop, the heckler continued to ask Alec Baldwin if he would say “Free Palestine.” Baldwin, who asked the coffee shop employees to call the police, held the front door open for the heckler and gestured for them to leave. He also repeatedly stated the heckler was harassing him.
“You know he’s a f—ing criminal,” the heckler told the coffee employee who approached them. “Come on, Alec. Just say, ‘Free Palestine’ one time. One time. Just one time. Please and I’ll leave you alone.”
After Baldwin declined to say “Free Palestine” the heckler continued to repeat the statement. Noticeably done with the situation, the actor walked away from the front door, asked “Can you do me a quick favor?” and knocked the phone out of the heckler’s hand.
Alec Baldwin’s Coffee Shop Incident Occurred Days After ‘Rust’ Armorer Was Sentenced in Fatal On-Set Shooting
The interaction between Alec Baldwin and the hecker came just days after Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced in the fatal on-set shooting.
As previously reported, Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
According to witnesses, the gun in question was among the weapons previously used by Rust crew members hours before the shooting. The crew members shot beet cans with live ammunition and after lunch, they returned the gun.
However, Gutierrez-Reed failed to check the gun to make sure the live ammunition was taken out before bringing it back onto the set. While holding the gun, Alec Baldwin stated it just went off.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Mary Marlowe accused Gutierrez-Reed of not taking any accountability for her actions. “You said you were sorry, but not [that] you were sorry for what you did,” the judge stated.
The judge then said that Gutierrez-Reed alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. She then said if it wasn’t for the Rust armorer, Hutchins would still be alive. “A husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother.”
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, said he is planning to appeal.
Alec Baldwin has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and will be heading to court this summer. He has pleaded not guilty.