Alec Baldwin’s attorney says the FBI report alleges that the actor pulled the trigger on the gun he used to accidentally shoot Halyna Hutchins, and reiterated that the defective weapon fired by itself.
The FBI report came out last week, claiming for the first time that Baldwin must have pulled the trigger to fatally injure Hutchins, the 42-year-old cameraman from his western film Rust.
Baldwin’s attorney Luke Nikas insisted in an interview with… Fox news Monday evening that this was not necessarily the case and that the report had been ‘misconstrued’.
“The FBI report is misinterpreted. The gun fired only once during testing—without pulling the trigger—when the hammer was pulled back and the gun broke in two different places.”
“The FBI was unable to fire the gun in a previous test, even when pulling the trigger, because it was in such bad shape,” he said.
He insisted that the reports that matter and paint an accurate picture of what happened are those completed by New Mexican authorities.
Baldwin, nodding in grief, after being told that Halyna Hutchins had died as a result of the injuries he accidentally caused
The actor, pictured with Hutchins and director Joel Souza, also injured Souza in the same incident involving the .45 Colt
“The critical report is that of the coroner, who concluded that it was a tragic accident.
This is the third time New Mexico authorities have determined that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on set, having been told by the person in charge of set safety that the gun “was cold,” and believed the gun was safe.
The FBI report has not yet been made public.
ABC news however, got a copy of it, citing the main finding that the gun “could not be made to fire without pulling the trigger while the working internal components were intact and functional.”
Prosecutors have not yet decided whether charges will be filed in the case, saying they would review the latest reports and await cell phone records from Baldwin’s lawyers.
Baldwin pointed a gun at cameraman Hutchins when it went off on October 21, killing Hutchins and injuring the director, Joel Souza. They had been to a small church while setting up for the filming of a scene.
A new FBI report claims Baldwin must have pulled the trigger to fire the shot that killed cameraman Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust last year.
The video shows investigators telling the actor that Hutchins, 42, had succumbed to her injuries, with Baldwin immediately saying “no” as he shot back into his seat in shock. Baldwin, 64, is seen raising his hand to his mouth as he gazes in stunned silence between the two investigators
Meanwhile, a representative of the film’s gun master, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, told Fox that she has become a “scapegoat” after the shooting.
Baldwin was adamant that sheriff’s investigators should question Hannah Gutierrez, the gunsmith pictured, about the shooting
The spokesperson also said: “The recently released FBI report shows that the revolver was in good condition and that Baldwin must have pulled the trigger to fire the revolver, which directly contradicts his previous statements and those of Deputy Attorney Generals.” Director Halls, through his attorney, also said Baldwin didn’t pull the trigger.’
While it’s too early to say how much weight the medical examiner’s report will hold for the district attorney’s office, Baldwin’s legal team suggested it was further evidence that the shooting was “a tragic accident” and that he should not be prosecuted.
This is the third time New Mexico authorities have determined that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on set, having been told by the person in charge of set safety that the gun “was cold,” and believed the gun was safe,” attorney Luke Nikas said in a statement.
Baldwin said in a December interview with ABC News that he pointed the gun at Hutchins on her instruction on the set of the Western movie “Rest” when it went off after he cocked it. He said he didn’t pull the trigger.
With the hammer in the full cock position, the FBI report stated that the gun could not be fired without pulling the trigger, while the working internal components were intact and functional.
During FBI testing of the gun, authorities said, parts of the gun’s trigger and barrel stopper broke as the hammer was struck.
Baldwin, who also produced the film ‘Rest’, has previously said the weapon should not have been loaded before rehearsal
This allowed the hammer to fall and the firing pin to detonate the primer.
“This was the only successful discharge during this test and was attributed to the breakage of internal components, not the failure of the firearm or safety mechanisms,” the report said.
It was not clear from the FBI report how many times the hammer of the revolver was struck during testing.
Baldwin, who also produced the film ‘Rest’, has previously said the weapon should not have been loaded before rehearsal.
Among the ammunition seized at the filming location, live bullets were found on a cart and in the holster located in the building where the shooting took place. Blank and dummy cartridges were also found.
The Occupational Health and Safety Bureau in New Mexico, in a damning report released in April, detailed a story of safety failures in violation of standard industry protocols, including testimony that production managers took limited or no action to address two misfires on set prior to the deadly shooting. to deal with.
The agency also documented gun safety complaints from crew members that were ignored and said weapons specialists were not allowed to make decisions about additional safety training.
When it concluded that the shooting was an accident, the New Mexico Medical Bureau’s office noted “the absence of apparent intent to cause harm or death” and stated that there was “no convincing demonstration” that the revolver was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on set.