Mocobizscene – Testimony from an independent gun expert in court on Tuesday raised fresh doubts about Alec Baldwin’s claim that his gun discharged without him pulling the trigger during a rehearsal for the movie “Rust” in 2021.
Actor Alec Baldwin, who is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, has entered a plea of not guilty. The trial for this case is set to take place in July. The incident occurred during a movie rehearsal near Santa Fe, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins tragically lost her life.
The trial of “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence, is currently underway. Baldwin, who has not made any court appearances, finds himself in a complex situation due to the implications of Gutierrez-Reed’s trial.
On Tuesday, firearms expert Lucien Haag gave a detailed demonstration of how a single-action Colt revolver works, similar to the gun held by Baldwin. He emphasized the safety features that prevent the fully cocked hammer from striking and firing ammunition unless the trigger is depressed.
During his testimony on Tuesday, Haag, a renowned consultant and expert in Old West firearms from Arizona, stated that he did not observe any indications of the gun being tampered with or altered prior to its examination by the FBI.
Haag and a colleague showcased the functionality of the gun’s safety features by successfully reassembling it with only one damaged part, which was the hammer. They demonstrated that the safety mechanisms still effectively prevented the hammer from striking, even in situations where the trigger was not pressed.
The jury observed a video showcasing the experiment with Baldwin’s gun, where the hammer was repeatedly pulled back and released. Each time, it was securely caught by a safety notch, preventing it from striking the ammunition chamber and firing the gun.
According to Haag, if you happen to lose your grip on the gun while trying to cock it, the hammer will fall and be captured by the safety notch.
The lead detective in Santa Fe received notification that the FBI would conduct tests on Baldwin’s gun, which might potentially result in damage or destruction of the firearm.
Alexandra Hancock, the detective for the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office, explained that the testing was conducted in response to Mr. Baldwin’s statements claiming that he didn’t pull the trigger. According to Hancock, Mr. Baldwin stated that the gun simply went off. The purpose of the testing was to either disprove or confirm this theory. The FBI was approached to carry out the testing, as they possessed the necessary expertise to assist with the investigation.
The defense lawyers representing Gutierrez-Reed argue that their client had no control over the issues that occurred on the set of “Rust” and have highlighted flaws in the evidence collection and post-incident briefings. They specifically point out that Seth Kenney, the primary ammunition supplier for the film, was not thoroughly investigated.
During the trial, Hancock thoroughly examined Gutierrez-Reed and Kenney through a detailed analysis of video interviews. These interviews took place on the “Rust” set, shortly after the shooting on October 21, 2021, and later at an interrogation room. Gutierrez-Reed, who has been present at the trial, has not testified yet.
In the first video captured by a police lapel camera, Gutierrez-Reed can be seen looking visibly dejected following the tragic shooting incident.
In the courtroom, the prosecutors brought attention to the discrepancies found in Gutierrez-Reed’s recorded statements. They discredited her assertion of thoroughly examining each round in Baldwin’s firearm by shaking them to detect any sign of an inert dummy round. However, investigators revealed that one of the rounds did not contain any BBs and had a hole in its side, clearly indicating that it was a dummy round.
During her testimony, Hancock revealed that she initially looked into Kenney as a possible culprit for the live ammunition, which is strictly forbidden on movie sets. However, she discovered that Kenney never actually visited the set of “Rust.” Furthermore, a search of his property in Albuquerque yielded live rounds that differed from the ones found on the set of the film. It is important to note that the fatal round that caused Hutchins’ death was among those recovered on set.
Gutierrez-Reed informed investigators in November 2021 that she had obtained loose ammunition from a bag that was leftover from her work on a previous film. She checked to ensure that the rounds were dummy rounds before bringing them to the “Rust” set. According to her statement, the ammunition remained in her car for a period of two weeks.
When asked about the possibility of sabotage by cast or crew members, Gutierrez-Reed brushed off the idea, stating that no one on set was “that malicious.” However, it is worth noting that six members of the film crew had walked off the job the night before the tragic shooting due to a disagreement over working conditions.
During a firearms training session for “Rust,” Gutierrez-Reed informed investigators, including Hancock, that Baldwin was seen talking on his phone, suggesting that he might have been distracted.
On Tuesday, defense attorneys were not given the chance to cross-examine Hancock.
According to prosecutors, Gutierrez-Reed is being held responsible for bringing live ammunition onto the set and disregarding essential safety protocols for weapons. They contend that six live rounds, all displaying the same characteristics, were discovered on the “Rust” set. These rounds do not correspond to the live rounds obtained from the movie’s supplier in Albuquerque.
