Alec Baldwin breaks down in tears as his ‘Rust’ shooting trial is thrown out: Updates

Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has been thrown out after just a week of testimony.

The Hollywood actor, 66, broke down in tears and hugged his attorneys and his wife Hilaria after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer announced her decision at the end of a chaotic day in the New Mexico courtroom.

Judge Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense. The prosecution will not be able to file charges against Baldwin again in Hutchins’ death.

Nearly three years have passed since a prop gun Baldwin was holding went off during a rehearsal of the film’s shooting scene in 2021, striking and killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter and faced 18 months in prison. Now, he walks free.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Her attorney says he plans to move to have her case dismissed.

Key points

• Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today

• Crime scene tech says there is evidence armorer brought live rounds on set

• Alec Baldwin’s wife Hilaria and brother Stephen show support at trial

• Gloria Allred says Halyna Hutchins’ family cannot travel for trial

What’s next for Alec Baldwin after manslaughter case dismissal

05:39 , Shahana Yasmin

What’s next for Alec Baldwin after manslaughter case dismissal

Alec Baldwin’s high profile manslaughter trial thrown out by New Mexico judge

05:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin wept in court after his high profile criminal trial, in which he faced involuntary manslaughter charges over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, was thrown out by a New Mexico judge.

The case was dismissed on Friday after it was found that the state had withheld evidence that could have shed light on how live rounds got onto the set of the Rust movie, where the young cinematographer was fatally shot.

“There is no way for the court to right this wrong,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said in court adding that dismissal of the case was needed to ensure “the integrity of the judicial system.”

“The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Marlowe Sommer said. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith it certainly comes so near to bad faith to show signs of scorching.”

Mike Bedigan reports:

Alec Baldwin’s high profile manslaughter trial thrown out by New Mexico judge

ICYMI: Eminem references Alec Baldwin and fatal Rust shooting on new album

04:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Eminem has courted further controversy on his new album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) with a blunt reference to Alec Baldwin and the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

The record arrives while Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter remains ongoing.

On a song titled “Fuel”, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, raps: “F*** around and get popped like Halyna Hutchins / Like I’m Alec Baldwin, what I mean is buckin’ you down, coup de grâce then / Right between the f***in’ / I shoot ’em all in if you think you’re f***in’ with me.”

Read more:

Eminem references Alec Baldwin and fatal Halyna Hutchins shooting on new album

WATCH: Alec Baldwin cries as judge dismisses his involuntary manslaughter case

03:00 , Andrea Cavallier

What happened leading up to Baldwin’s case dismissal?

02:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Judge Sommer put a pause on the trial earlier Friday while she considered the defense motion to dismiss the case over the evidence.

The defense argued that prosecutors hid evidence from them about the ammunition that may be related to the shooting on the set of the Western “Rust” in 2021. The defense said they should have had the ability to determine its importance.

The prosecution said that the ammunition was not connected to the case and was not hidden.

The issue emerged Thursday on the second day of the actor’s trial during defense questioning of sheriff’s crime scene technician Marissa Poppell.

Baldwin lawyer Alex Spiro asked whether a “good Samaritan” had come into the sheriff’s office with the ammunition earlier this year after the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer, for her role in Hutchins’ death.

She was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction, which she is now appealing.

Family of Halyna Hutchins issues statement on Baldwin case dismissal

01:29 , Graeme Massie

“We respect the court’s decision. We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins,” their lawyer said in a statement on Friday.

Lawyers for ‘Rust’ armorer move to get case dismissed after Baldwin trial collapses

01:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Lawyers for convicted Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed say they will move to have her case dismissed following the collapse of the prosecution of Alec Baldwin.

“The judge found intentional misconduct and we also have had the same failures in Hannah’s case, by the State. We will be moving for dismissal of Hannah’s case,” said Jason Bowles, the attorney for Gutierrez-Reed.

Read more:

Lawyers for ‘Rust’ armourer move to get case dismissed after Baldwin trial collapses

‘I’m disappointed’: Prosecutor says she disagrees with judge’s decision to dismiss Baldwin case

Saturday 13 July 2024 00:31 , Andrea Cavallier

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey briefly spoke to reporters outside the Santa Fe courthouse.

She said she disagrees with the judge, but respects the court’s decision.

“I’m disappointed, because I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys,” Morrissey said.

“We did everything humanly possible to bring justice to Halyna and to her family and we’re proud of the work that we did.”

What does with prejudice mean in Alec Baldwin’s trial?

Saturday 13 July 2024 00:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the actor’s case with prejudice on Friday.

This dismissal was based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense in the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.”

This means the prosecution cannot file charges against Baldwin again in the shooting death of Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin’s wife Hilaria and brother Stephen Baldwin cry after case dismissed

Friday 12 July 2024 23:48 , Andrea Cavallier

‘Rust’ armorer’s attorney will move to get her case dismissed

Friday 12 July 2024 23:43 , Andrea Cavallier

Jason Bowles, the attorney for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has said he will move to dismiss her case.

“The judge found intentional misconduct and we also have had the same failures in Hannah’s case, by the State. We will be moving for dismissal of Hannah’s case,” Bowles said.

Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March for Halnya Hutchins’ death and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

WATCH: Alec Baldwin breaks down in tears as case is dismissed

Friday 12 July 2024 23:19 , Andrea Cavallier

Defense asks Morrissey if she doesn’t like Baldwin

Friday 12 July 2024 23:02 , Andrea Cavallier

When asked by Spiro if she doesn’t like Alec Baldwin, Morrissey responded that she appreciates his movies, SNL work and his politics.

Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson resigned from Alec Baldwin trial today

Friday 12 July 2024 22:54 , Andrea Cavallier

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey admitted on the stand today that prosecutor Erlinda Johnson unexpectedly resigned from Alec Baldwin’s trial today.

It was reportedly due to a disagreement with having today’s motions hearing public.

WATCH LIVE: Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey testifies in Baldwin trial

Friday 12 July 2024 22:45 , Andrea Cavallier

Special prosecutor calls herself as a witness in Baldwin’s trial

Friday 12 July 2024 22:41 , Andrea Cavallier

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey has called herself to the witness stand in Alec Baldwin’s trial.

The state is attempting to rebut the defense’s claim that they hid evidence about ammunition.

The defense said it was not necessary for Morrissey to take the stand and did not call her.

Judge Somme reminded Morrissey that there is no requirement for her to testify under oath.

But Morrissey said she thought the judge wanted her to do so.

When the lead investigator was testifying earlier, Morrissey told Sommer that she could testify under oath and it sounded like, to many people in the room, that the judge replied, “You’re going to.”

“I think it's a good idea that I do it,” Morrissey said.

Filmmaker documenting Alec Baldwin’s trial

Friday 12 July 2024 22:02 , Andrea Cavallier

As Alec Baldwin’s trial continues, he’s being followed around Santa Fe by a filmmaker, TMZ reported.

The woman is not part of the upcoming reality show about Baldwin’s family airing next year on TLC, the outlet said, but instead appears to be working on a “Rust” documentary.

Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria share kiss at trial

Friday 12 July 2024 21:20 , Andrea Cavallier

‘Rust’ prop supplier says he never brought live rounds on set

Friday 12 July 2024 21:14 , Andrea Cavallier

Seth Kenney that he personally loaded the dummy rounds into a box for the set of Rust. He did not bring live rounds on set.

A photo of ammunition from a text conversation between Kenney and Troy Teske was shown by the state at the hearing.

Kenney said that the ammunition had come from the set of “1883” in Texas. When asked if that ammo was brought on the set of Rust, he replied, “definitely not.”

"Have you learned a few things about the evidence in the case and the live rounds that were found on rest since November 1st of 2021?,” Morrissey asked Kenney, to which he responded, "Yes."

“Do you still believe this is evidence in the accidental death?” she added.

“Definitely not,” he responded.

“I have never spent more time with a single box of dummy rounds than the rounds that came from ‘1883,’ the dummy rounds that went to Rust,” Kenney said. “So there was never a question in my mind that I provided the live ammunition to Rust.”

WATCH LIVE: Alec Baldwin judge hears testimony from prop firearms supplier outside of jury’s presence as lawyers argue over dismissal motion

Friday 12 July 2024 20:35 , Andrea Cavallier

Prop firearms supplier takes the stand

Friday 12 July 2024 20:16 , Andrea Cavallier

Prop firearms supplier Seth Kenney takes the stand in Alec Baldwin’s trial.

His testimony is happening outside the jury's presence.

‘A wild goose chase’

Friday 12 July 2024 18:57 , Andrea Cavallier

The ammunition at the center of Friday’s explosive proceedings was handed over to a crime scene technician after Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s trial by a “good Samaritan” who claimed they came from “Rust” prop supplier Seth Kenney, the owner of PDQ Props.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey established in her questioning that the source of the ammunition was Troy Teske, who is friends with Gutierrez-Reed’s father.

The state says the rounds do not match the rounds that were found on set because the primers are different colors.

“This is a wild goose chase,” Morrissey said. “This has no evidentiary value whatsoever.”

But the defense said that that was not for her to decide and that she should’ve disclosed it to them.

The judge asked to see the rounds and put on blue gloves. She then asked Marissa Poppell, the crime scene technician, to go through the rounds one by one.

Morrissey said the ammunition had no evidentiary value, but the defense said that that was not for her to decide and that she should’ve disclosed it to them.

Defense files surprise motion to dismiss case over ammo evidence

Friday 12 July 2024 18:27 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin’s defense filed a motion to dismiss the case over disputed ammunition evidence.

The defense argued that prosecutors hid evidence from them about the ammunition that may be related to the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021.

The prosecution has said that the ammunition was not connected to the case and was not hidden.

The issue came up Thursday with crime scene technician Marissa Poppell after Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro suggested with his questions that Poppell and other authorities had been too cozy with the film’s firearms supplier Seth Kenney and had insufficiently investigated whether he was responsible for the live bullets reaching the set.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey established in her questioning that the source of the ammunition was Troy Teske, a friend of the father of the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Morrissey said the bullets were not the same size or chemical composition as the live rounds found on the “Rust” set, including the one that killed Hutchins.

Judge dismisses jury for the weekend

Friday 12 July 2024 17:19 , Andrea Cavallier

The jury is being dismissed for the weekend.

“Trials are fluid,” Judge Marlowe Sommer tells them.

They will return on Monday at 10:30am ET.

Court is now taking a break.

Jury still not in courtroom

Friday 12 July 2024 16:49 , Andrea Cavallier

Court was expected to resume this morning in Alec Baldwin’s trial, but a motion’s hearing has delayed further testimony.

Attorneys and Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer are in the courtroom, along with Baldwin.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today

Friday 12 July 2024 15:48 , Andrea Cavallier

According to reporters at the Alec Baldwin trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today.

Prosecution is running behind with their witnesses, which delays the trial schedule.

A motion hearing will be held this morning before court resumes with the lead detective in the case.

WATCH LIVE: Alec Baldwin trial resumes

Friday 12 July 2024 15:43 , Andrea Cavallier

Will Hannah Gutierrez-Reed testify?

Friday 12 July 2024 15:37 , Andrea Cavallier

Questions still remain about whether or not Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Rust film set, will testify on Friday – or at all – during Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial.

She has been transported from prison to the courthouse in Santa Fe, but her attorney has said she will plead the Fifth.

There are reports that special prosecutor Kari Morrissey is now unsure whether she will call Gutierrez-Reed to testify.

Gutierrez-Reed has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Erlinda Johnson arrive for Baldwin trial

Friday 12 July 2024 15:08 , Andrea Cavallier

Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey, Erlinda Johnson and Jason Lewis have arrived at the Santa Fe courthouse on Friday for Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial.

Crowd gathers outside courthouse for Alec Baldwin’s trial

Friday 12 July 2024 14:58 , Andrea Cavallier

Court will resume at 10:30am ET

Friday 12 July 2024 14:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin will be back in court today as the first week of his involuntary manslaughter trial comes to a close.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film set “Rust,” who was convicted in March, is set to take the stand.

But will she speak? Her attorney has said she will plead the fifth.

Gutierrez-Reed is reportedly being transported from prison to the Santa Fe courthouse this morning.

Who is Hannah Gutierrez-Reed?

Friday 12 July 2024 13:00 , Andrea Cavallier

The stepdaughter of renowned sharpshooter and weapons consultant Thell Reed, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was 24 at the time of the deadly rehearsal on the “Rust” film set in Santa Fe.

“Rust” was her second assignment as an armorer in a feature film.

Her attorneys argued that she was scapegoated, pointing to safety concerns that went beyond their client.

She was sentenced to 18 months in prison on an involuntary manslaughter conviction, which she's appealing.

At her sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed said she had tried to do her best on the set despite not having “proper time, resources and staffing.”

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed set to testify today

Friday 12 July 2024 12:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a movie weapons armorer, is expected to be transported from prison to the courthouse this morning, but her attorney has said she will plead the fifth.

In March, Gutierrez-Reed received the maximum sentence of 18 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting.

A New Mexico judge found that Gutierrez-Reed’s recklessness amounted to a serious violent offense, while noting few indications of genuine remorse from the defendant since her conviction.

Prosecutors blame Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of “Rust,” where it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun-safety protocols.

Full video: Alec Baldwin’s trial is thrown out

Saturday 13 July 2024 00:13 , Andrea Cavallier

‘Have some manners’: Judge in Alec Baldwin trial scolds media for mess

Friday 12 July 2024 11:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer scolded members of the media on Thursday for not cleaning up their cups and water bottles at Santa Fe’s 1st Judicial District Court of New Mexico.

“One more cup and everybody is not allowed to bring any liquids of any kind whatsoever,” she said.

“My staff and our county people are not going to be picking up trash that you all could pick up. Okay? And that also means downstairs in the jury assembly room,” she added.

“So one more cup, one more water — let’s just have some manners on picking up after ourselves, okay? Sorry I had to bring that up right now.”

Alec Baldwin cuts asking price of Hamptons home by $10m

Friday 12 July 2024 09:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin has slashed the asking price for his home in the Hamptons by $10 million.

The 30 Rock actor originally listed the 10,000-square-foot farmhouse for sale at $29m in November 2022.

It is now on the market for $18.9m following a series of cuts.

Read more:

Alec Baldwin cuts asking price of Hamptons home by $10m as Rust trial begins

Watch the moment Alec Baldwin hears of Halyna Hutchins’ death

Friday 12 July 2024 07:00 , Andrea Cavallier

What movies and TV shows has Alec Baldwin been in?

Friday 12 July 2024 05:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Hollywood has never known exactly what to do with Alec Baldwin, so it has done a little of everything with him.

Before the horrific 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western “Rust” put his career in question, he took on, and sent up, a wide spectrum of variations of masculinity. He has shifted from playing heroes to scoundrels to thugs to gentle father figures to office alpha males to a “ Boss Baby.”

He went from star leading man to bit player to scene stealer, at times going years without a major role in a hit film or show. But he has remained a household name for nearly 35 years, largely on the strength of his real-life personality: as an outspoken liberal, occasional hothead, talk-show guest, podcast host, game show host, and the king of all “Saturday Night Live” hosts.

Here’s a look at Baldwin's career in and out of Hollywood:

From ‘Red October’ to ‘30 Rock,’ a look at Alec Baldwin’s career before ‘Rust’ trial

Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro grills crime scene tech over search for live ammo

Friday 12 July 2024 04:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Spiro grilled Santa Fe County sheriff’s technician Marissa Poppell over what he suggested were shoddy and subpar searches for the live ammunition that ended up in the actor’s revolver.

In particular, over search warrants served on a prop truck a week after the death of Hutchins and on a prop warehouse more than a month after the shooting.

The questions eventually led to Spiro asking Poppell whether police and prosecutors “were just trying to get this over with so that prosecutors could focus on Alec Baldwin?”

“No,” she answered.

Spiro got Poppell to testify that it could be very difficult to tell the difference between dummy rounds made to appear as onscreen ammunition that were used on the set, and the live rounds that turned the set fatal.

It was an attempt to push back against the key assertion of prosecutors’ case: that Baldwin recklessly flouted gun safety.

How many kids does Alec Baldwin have?

Friday 12 July 2024 03:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin has seven kids under the age of 10 with his wife Hilaria.

The couple married in July 2012 and welcomed their first child in August 2013.

Their daughters are Carmen Gabriela, 10, María Lucía Victoria, 3, and Ilaria Catalina Irena, 20 months, and their sons are Rafael Thomas, 8, Leonardo Ángel Charles, 7, Romeo Alejandro David, 6, and Eduardo "Edu" Pao Lucas, 3.

Baldwin was previously married to actor Kim Basinger, who had his eldest daughter, Ireland.

Now the couple are set to star in their own reality series on TLC. “The Baldwins,” the show’s working title, is set to release in 2025.

“We’re inviting you into our home to experience the ups and downs, the good, the bad, the wild and the crazy,” Baldwin said in a video he shared to Instagram.

In the announcement video, the couple joked about Hilaria announcing another pregnancy, but she said they are done having kids before the clip cut to a chaotic shot of their children screaming and the parents struggling to wrangle the bunch for a group photo.

How does a gun shoot without pulling the trigger?

Friday 12 July 2024 02:20 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin’s defense team argues that even if the actor did pull trigger, he’s still not guilty.

So how does a gun shoot without pulling the trigger?

Here’s what Baldwin’s defense is saying:

How does a gun shoot without pulling the trigger? Here’s what Baldwin’s defense says

Lead detective takes the stand as court ends for the day

Friday 12 July 2024 01:23 , Andrea Cavallier

Baldwin’s trial ended Thursday with Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Cpl. Alexandra Hancock on the stand.

Hancock began her testimony about the shooting investigation.

Hancock will return to the stand when court resumes Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Manufacturer testifies gun used on ‘Rust' set could not fire without pulling trigger

Thursday 11 July 2024 23:12 , Andrea Cavallier

Alessandro Pietta, who manufactures reproductions of collectible firearms, is on the stand as the state’s next witness.

He testified that his family made the gun used by Alec Baldwin on the set of “Rust” and that it is not possible to fire the gun without pulling the trigger.

“This gun cannot fire without pulling the trigger because of the mechanics and design of the trigger was made to work in this way,” Pieta said.

He said that the gun goes through quality control by the government of Italy and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after the company does its own check for defects.

On redirect, Pietta said he did not inspect the gun following the shooting and did not have knowledge of its condition when it was used on set.

Who is Seth Kenney?

Thursday 11 July 2024 23:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Seth Kenney was the owner of the prop company, PDQ Arm and Prop, LLC. He is also a good friend of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s father, and the one who brought the ammunition in after her conviction.

Gutierrez-Reed sued Kenney and his company for allegedly selling her a cache of dummy ammunition with live rounds mixed in.

Crime scene technician Marissa Poppell testified on Thursday that there is evidence which shows Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for “Rust,” brought the live rounds of ammunition on the set.

Crime scene tech says there is evidence armorer brought live rounds on set

Thursday 11 July 2024 22:22 , Andrea Cavallier

A friend of Hannah Gutierrez’s father, a widely known armorer in Hollywood, turned over a box of munition following Gutierrez’s trial, the state confirmed on redirect with crime scene tech Poppell.

Morrissey questions Poppell about the man’s motivation to implicate Seth Kenney, the weapon supplier for the film.

But Poppell testified she had no evidence that Kenney had anything to do with bringing live rounds to set.

“If you know, is there evidence that Hannah Gutierrez brought the live rounds onto the set of Rust?” Morrissey asked.

“Yes,” Poppell said.

Gloria Allred says Halyna Hutchins’ family cannot travel for trial

Thursday 11 July 2024 21:30 , Andrea Cavallier

Gloria Allred, the attorney for the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, told CNN that they will not be able to travel to the United States for Alec Baldwin’s trial.

Hutchins’ mother, father and sister all live in Kyiv, Ukraine.

She added that the family does not speak English. But that she is thankful the family did not have to see the footage played in court on Wednesday of the aftermath of the shooting.

“That would have been too painful,” she said. “I’m here to be able to communicate with them what is happening in this criminal case.”

Baldwin abruptly leaves courtroom

Thursday 11 July 2024 21:15 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin abruptly left the courtroom briefly while the prosecutor argued during a motion to include Baldwin’s phone call with his wife in evidence.

The actor is back in the courtroom and Poppell is back on the stand.

Judge allows Baldwin’s call with wife as evidence

Thursday 11 July 2024 21:10 , Andrea Cavallier

During a hearing following lunch break, Judge Sommer approved the prosecution’s motion to include Alec Baldwin’s phone call with his wife as evidence.

The call was made following the shooting of Hutchins.

Prosecutor Morrissey claimed in the motion that the call contradicts the defense’s portrayal of a grieving and traumatized Baldwin because it involves him telling his family to still come to New Mexico and that they’d “have fun.”

At the time, he was aware Hutchins had been severely injured, but did not yet know she had died.

“And if the defense hasn’t spent all of this time saying how, how, how panicked and upset he was, I’m not sure that it would be relevant, but he is actually planning basically a vacation,” Morrissey told the judge on Thursday.

Baldwin’s attorney said his client’s demeanor after the shooting is not relevant to involuntary manslaughter.

“You all made that fact very important through Officer LeFleur yesterday,” Sommer said in court.

“So, I do find that it’s relevant to basically respond to you all talking about how upset Mr Baldwin was, and certainly you considered that fact of consequence.”

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed to plead the fifth

Thursday 11 July 2024 20:55 , Andrea Cavallier

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for “Rust,” plans to plead the fifth, her attorney Jason Bowles told CNN.

Gutierrez-Reed was called to testify and will be transported from prison to the courthouse in Santa Fe on Friday but Bowles said she will not corporate.

Live bullet found in prop holster of actor Jensen Ackles, crime scene tech says

Thursday 11 July 2024 20:22 , Andrea Cavallier

Crime scene technician Marissa Poppell testified on Thursday that one of the live bullets found on the set of Rust following the 2021 shooting was located in the bandolier – or prop holster – of actor Jensen Ackles.

Live bullets were found on the prop cart and in two prop gun holsters.

One was worn by Alec Baldwin and the other was worn by Ackles.

“Mr. Ackles, another actor on the set, turns out that he — as he acted, as he performed — had a live bullet in his bandolier, correct?” Spiro asked Poppell who responded “yes.”

“You have no reason to think Mr. Ackles had any idea that was there, right?” Spiro pushed.

Poppell told him: “Correct.”

How long is Alec Baldwin’s trial supposed to last?

Thursday 11 July 2024 18:46 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial at the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico — about 20 miles northeast of the ‘Rust’ movie set and the shooting of Halyna Hutchins — is projected to last nine days.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer insists that she’ll keep the lawyers in line and on schedule.

A jury was selected on Tuesday and opening statements were presented on Wednesday.

The state’s first four witnesses testified on Wednesday but on Thursday, cross-examination of crime scene tech Marissa Poppell has lasted most of the day.

The projected end is the following Friday.

Once the jurors get the case, however, they can deliberate as long as needed.

Defense questions why it took a week to search ‘Rust’ prop truck

Thursday 11 July 2024 18:31 , Andrea Cavallier

Defense attorney Alex Spiro questioned crime scene tech Marissa Poppell why it took a week to search the prop truck on the set of Rust.

The truck is where the blank ammunition and dummy rounds were kept. Live ammo was found on the set, but none was found in the truck.

“You’re finding these live rounds all over the set, right? Sort of seemed to be a little bit of everywhere without much cohesion between where you’re finding them,” Spiro said.

“And they’re housed originally in the truck. And so you go a week later to the prop truck, which has all of the ammunition. And there’s not a single live round there, right? Why did law enforcement wait a week to go to the prop truck?”

Poppell responded: “The search warrant needed to be written.”

She added: “I’m not sure of why the time difference occurred exactly.”

He claimed that a search warrant for the church on set was written and filed the same day of the shooting. Poppell clarified the search warrant was done the next day.

Piece of paper collected from scene reads ‘Rust Colt cocked quietly now’

Thursday 11 July 2024 17:45 , Andrea Cavallier

A piece of paper collected from the scene of the shooting at the church is displayed.

There appear to be directions on the paper and it reads: “Rust Colt cocked quietly now.”

Poppell says on the stand that she photographed the paper because she felt it was important because it mentioned a firearm.

Crime scene tech says live bullets were found among dummy bullets

Thursday 11 July 2024 17:24 , Andrea Cavallier

Marissa Poppell testified on the stand that live bullets were found mixed with dummy bullets in a prop cart on the set of Rust.

In photos shown in court, the live rounds appear to have a silver dot at the bottom of the casing rather than a dull orange shade.

"Your working theory, as you evaluated the ammunition and looked at the similarity between the Starline nickel live and the Starline nickel dummies is that they could have been easily commingled there?” defense attorney Alex Spiro asked.

“Yes,” she responded.

“In other words, somebody could have mistaken one for the other, right?” he asked. She said: “Yes.”

Spiro also questioned Poppell about the damage caused by the state’s forensic analysis of the gun. The team previously tried to have the cases dismissed because they were unable to examine the gun.

”As to the firearm, I think where you left off yesterday is ultimately that firearm was destroyed in the testing there,” Spiro said.

”Not destroyed, but broken,” Poppell responded.

She later agreed that the gun could likely be fixed with replacement parts, but it could not be restored to the condition it was on the day of the shooting.

Alec Baldwin’s family back in court to support him

Thursday 11 July 2024 17:02 , Andrea Cavallier

WATCH LIVE: Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ manslaughter trial continues on second day

Thursday 11 July 2024 16:21 , Andrea Cavallier

JUST IN: Armorer to testify in Alec Baldwin’s trial on Friday

Thursday 11 July 2024 15:38 , Andrea Cavallier

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the ‘Rust’ movie set who was convicted, is expected to testify on Friday morning.

Gutierrez-Reed will be transported from prison to the courthouse on Friday morning, Attorney Jason Bowles confirmed to Court TV as court resumed on Thursday.

Alec Baldwin watches footage of Halyna Hutchins's final moments

Thursday 11 July 2024 00:00 , Andrea Cavallier

Alec Baldwin, along with a Santa Fe court, watched footage of Halyna Hutchins’s final moments.

When authorities arrived on the scene, body cam footage showed how Hutchins moved her head from side to side while paramedics tried to stabilize her.

“Deep breath, Halyna. Deep breath,” a paramedic told Hutchins in the video.

Joel Souza, the director who survived his injuries after being shot could be heard screaming.

Baldwin remained expressionless as he watched and several jurors took notes.

His brother Stephen watched, but their sister Beth Keuchler and Baldwin’s wife did not.

Alec Baldwin’s sister cries in court

Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:40 , Andrea Cavallier

The actor’s sister,  Beth Keuchler, and his brother, Stephen Baldwin, were both in court to support their brother on Wednesday.

An eyewitness told Entertainment Tonight that Stephen Baldwin was seen “consoling his sister, who was crying during opening statements.”

During the break, “Elizabeth and Stephen went out into the hallway, where Stephen continued to console his sister, who was visibly emotional, crying and wiping away tears.”

Baldwin then joined his family and hugged his sister, it was reported.

Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria Baldwin, was also in the courtroom for opening statements.

Deputy says Baldwin was instructed not to speak to others

Wednesday 10 July 2024 19:09 , Andrea Cavallier

In video footage played in court, Baldwin is shown smoking a cigarette as he answered LeFleur’s questions and asked about the location of the two victims.

The deputy instructed Baldwin instructed not to speak to others. He said he had concerns about witnesses potentially tainting their statements about what happened.

But the prosecution pointed out that despite LeFleur’s instruction, Baldwin continued to talk about it.

Baldwin pulled the trigger, prosecution says

Wednesday 10 July 2024 16:48 , Andrea Cavallier

Johnson tells the jury that they will see video footage during the trial of Baldwin using the gun on set.

“You’ll see the video footage of the multiple occasions during which the defendant used this firearm on the set, and each time he fired it, it was working just fine,” Johnson said.

“And in fact, you’ll hear evidence that the defendant himself admitted in December of 2021 that this gun didn’t have any mechanical problems.”

This comes after Baldwin stated that he did not pull the trigger the day Hutchins was shot.

Johnson also said the firearm was repeatedly tested by a forensic expert at the FBI, which determined that the gun had no defects and was in working order.

Prosecutor says Baldwin asked to be given the ‘biggest gun’

Wednesday 10 July 2024 16:31 , Andrea Cavallier

Prosecutor Johnson said Baldwin asked to be given the “biggest gun” available for the movie.

She told the jury during her opening that they would hear evidence that firearm was sold to the “Rust” set in “perfect” working order.

Alec Baldwin arrives at court for opening statements

Wednesday 10 July 2024 15:18 , Andrea Cavallier

Jury seated in Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ manslaughter trial

Wednesday 10 July 2024 00:28 , Graeme Massie

Hollywood star is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in New Mexico for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie in 2021.

Jury seated in Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ manslaughter trial

Veteran armorer turned down ‘Rust’ job over ‘red flags’

Tuesday 9 July 2024 22:15 , Andrea Cavallier

In an exclusive interview with NewsNation’s guest host Brian Entin on Banfield | NewsNation this week, Hollywood prop master Neal Zoromski said he was set to work on the Alec Baldwin film “Rust” but backed out after noticing some budgetary red flags.

On that movie set, Baldwin ended up firing a prop gun filled with real bullets, killing the film’s cinematographer.

He now faces trial.

Alec Baldwin arrives at courthouse

Tuesday 9 July 2024 15:17 , Andrea Cavallier

The Hollywood star has arrived at the courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Jury selection in his trial is expected to begin today.

Welcome to The Independent’s live blog

Tuesday 9 July 2024 11:01 , Rachel Sharp

Follow along for live updates as Hollywood star Alec Baldwin goes on trial today over the deadly shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Rust movie