Events leading to Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting trial

[July 09, 2024]  By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) - On Oct. 21, 2021 a reproduction Single Action Army revolver actor Alec Baldwin was using to set up a camera shot on the movie "Rust" fired a live round that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

The following is a chronology that includes Baldwin's comments in relation to the shooting on a New Mexico film set and events surrounding Hollywood's first on-set fatal shooting in nearly 30 years.

2021

DECEMBER - In an ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin denies responsibility for the shooting. He says the revolver "went off" on its own, and he did not pull the trigger.

2022

JULY - An FBI test of Baldwin's gun finds it "functioned normally." The revolver would not fire from the full cock position without the trigger pulled.

2023

JANUARY - New Mexico state prosecutors charge Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter and a firearm enhancement that carries a potential five-year prison sentence.

FEBRUARY - Prosecutors drop the firearm enhancement after his lawyers argue the law was not in force when the shooting occurred. Baldwin still faces an involuntary manslaughter charge with up to 18 months prison.

MARCH - "Rust" first assistant director Dave Halls accepts blame for not checking the rounds in Baldwin's gun and enters a plea deal with prosecutors. Halls is convicted on a misdemeanor charge and given a six-month suspended sentence. He is the only member of the "Rust" cast or crew to enter a plea deal.

- New Mexico state prosecutor Andrea Reeb resigns after Baldwin's lawyers say it is illegal for her to hold two posts in state government. Reeb is also a Republican state representative.

- Two weeks later, Santa Fe county District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies says she is resigning as a prosecutor. She appoints veteran Albuquerque criminal defense attorneys Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis as new special prosecutors.

APRIL - Weeks before a preliminary hearing, Morrissey and Lewis drop charges against Baldwin. A person familiar with the case says Baldwin's legal team presented evidence the revolver was modified, allowing it to fire without the trigger pulled.

- Morrissey says she will refile charges if an independent test of the gun confirms it was in normal working condition.

AUGUST - Independent firearms expert Lucien Haag finds the gun will not fire at the full cock position without the trigger being pulled. Haag says damage to the trigger sear and rounding off of the full-cock notch on the gun appears to have been caused by FBI testing rather than modification.

Alec Baldwin participates in a pretrial hearing in Santa Fe, N.M., U.S., July 8, 2024. Ross D. Franklin/Pool via REUTERS

OCTOBER - Prosecutors say they will recharge Baldwin based on Haag's testing.

- Prosecutors offer Baldwin the same plea deal given to Halls then withdraw it alleging the actor's efforts to protect his "public image," including pressuring case witnesses into interviews for a documentary on Hutchins, would continue to harm victims and their families.

2024

JANUARY - Baldwin is charged with involuntary manslaughter a second time as a Santa Fe grand jury indicts him.

MARCH - "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a Santa Fe, New Mexico jury for mistakenly loading a live round into Baldwin's gun.

APRIL - New Mexico district court judge Mary Marlowe Sommer sentences Gutierrez to the maximum 18 months in state prison, telling her she has shown no contrition.

MAY - Sommer denies motions by Baldwin's legal team to dismiss charges after they argue prosecutors rigged the grand jury against the actor.

- Baldwin's legal team learns Haag's August 2023 study included a supplemental "third report" they were never shown that said the gun had unexplained toolmarks on the trigger that did not appear to be from the original manufacturer, regular use, or FBI testing.

JUNE - Baldwin's legal team says Haag's third report contradicts his original findings and bolsters their argument the gun was modified. They accuse prosecutors of withholding exculpatory evidence from the grand jury and defense lawyers.

-Baldwin's team publishes emails showing state prosecutors were told in April 2023 by their movie set firearms safety expert Bryan Carpenter that the full-cock notch was filed down.

- Marlowe Sommer rejects additional Baldwin motions to dismiss the charge based on factors such as destruction of the gun during FBI testing.

- Haag says in a court hearing he now believes the unexplained tool marks referenced in his third report were the result of FBI testing of the gun.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Donna Bryson and Aurora Ellis)

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