Courtroom testimony by an independent gun expert is casting new doubt on Alec Baldwin’s account that his gun went off without pulling the trigger in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a 2021 rehearsal on the set of the Western movie “Rust.”
— Courtroom testimony by an independent gun expert Tuesday cast new doubt on Alec Baldwin’s account that his gun went off without pulling the trigger in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a 2021 rehearsal on the set of the Western movie “Rust.”
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter with a trial scheduled for July in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a movie rehearsal on the outskirts of Santa Fe.
“Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is currently on trial for her possible role in the death, pleading not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. The armorer’s trial has complex implications for Baldwin, who has not appeared in court.
On Tuesday, firearms expert Lucien Haag provided a lengthy demonstration of the workings of a single-action Colt revolver, like the gun held by Baldwin, and safety features that prevent a fully cocked hammer from striking and firing ammunition unless the trigger is depressed.
An FBI expert testified in court Monday that the revolver used by Baldwin was fully functional with safety features when it arrived at an FBI laboratory. The expert said he had to strike the fully-cocked gun with a mallet and break it in order for it to fire without depressing the trigger.
Haag, an Arizona-based consultant and expert in Old West firearms, testified Tuesday that he saw no evidence that the gun was broken or modified before it was tested by the FBI.
“Have you seen any evidence that the full-cock hammer or notch was filed or modified to allow faster shooting?” prosecutor Kari Morrissey asked. “No,” replied Haag.
Haag and a colleague reassembled the gun with only one damaged part — the hammer — to demonstrate that safety features still functioned anyway — stopping the hammer under a variety of circumstances when the trigger was not depressed.
