During the ongoing trial over the 2021 “Rust” film set tragedy, independent firearms expert testimony Tuesday contradicted Alec Baldwin’s version of events. Baldwin claimed the gun fired spontaneously without him pulling the trigger.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after Baldwin accidentally discharged a prop gun during rehearsal. While the actor faces involuntary manslaughter charges himself, head armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is currently on trial for manslaughter and evidence tampering.
On Tuesday, expert Lucien Haag demonstrated that the safety measures should have prevented Baldwin’s Colt revolver from firing without a pulled trigger. This countered the actor’s repeated public statements.
Haag said that Baldwin would have needed to make alterations with a hammer in order to fire the gun without pulling the trigger.
The prosecutor asked Haag, “Have you seen any evidence that the full-cock hammer or notch was filed or modified to allow faster shooting?” the prosecutor asked Haag.
Haag said no. He added that the gun clearly lacked the alterations necessary for a triggerless discharge.
Investigators felt compelled to perform further testing on the gun against Baldwin’s claims, Haag affirmed even damaged components couldn’t override the safeties.
“If you’re trying to cock the gun and you lose your grasp on it, the hammer falls — that safety notch captures it,” he explained to jurors.
The testimony piles pressure on armorer Gutierrez-Reed as manslaughter trials proceed. However, her attorneys note ammunition supply issues and argue that Baldwin himself was talking on his phone during weapons training.
They also dismiss any deliberate sabotage theories, with Gutierrez-Reed’s initial interview stating: “I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun.”
Legal responsibilities remain fiercely contested. However, impartial technical evidence now directly refutes Baldwin’s key version that the tragic gun simply “went off” spontaneously.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.