The long-running legal troubles swirling around Alec Baldwin following the deadly October 2021 shooting on the set of the film "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Bonanza City, New Mexico, might not be as resolved as previously thought.
Apparently, even after special prosecutors in the Land of Enchantment decided in April to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge Baldwin faced, new expert analysis of the firearm used in the film that discharged in Baldwin's hand, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has cast doubt on Baldwin's stated version of events.
Baldwin had admitted to, while rehearsing a scene, pulling back the hammer on the revolver — which was a fully operable prop — but denied pulling the trigger. Essentially, his story was that the firearm just went off, or something, as the result of a "malfunction." Never mind, apparently, that it's common sense to *never* point a firearm at another person unless you're intending to shoot them no matter how certain you are that it is "safe."
Baldwin's story, however, is now in doubt following a second expert review of the firearm, as The Associated Press reported:
The new gun analysis from experts in ballistics and forensic testing based in Arizona and New Mexico relied on replacement parts to reassemble the gun fired by Baldwin — after parts of the pistol were broken during earlier testing by the FBI. The new report examines the gun and markings it left on a spent cartridge to conclude that the trigger had to have been pulled or depressed.
“Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver,” states the analysis led by Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona.
An attorney for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the movie set, disclosed the report in a court filing Tuesday. Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in the case. Her trial is scheduled to begin in December.
Defense attorneys for Baldwin did not immediately reply to an email Tuesday seeking comment on the gun analysis. A publicist declined to comment.
This new conclusion from the second analysis means that prosecutors might end up refiling charges against Baldwin for his role in the shooting. According to AP, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey said this week "that a formal announcement on whether to refile any charges against Baldwin is forthcoming but didn't say how soon," making this a wait-and-watch situation again.
The window for prosecutors to refile charges against Baldwin does, however, have a countdown clock running. "In an early June court filing, prosecutors gave themselves 60 days to renew a case against Baldwin, contingent on a determination that the gun did not malfunction," AP reminded.