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Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ shooting trial testimony resumes without jury as lawyers argue over dismissal motion: Live updates

Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ shooting trial testimony resumes without jury as lawyers argue over dismissal motion: Live updates

Video: Alec Baldwin seen on set of Rust after shooting

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Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ shooting trial testimony resumes without jury as lawyers argue over dismissal motion: Live updates

Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial took an unexpected turn Friday after his defense team filed a suprise motion to dismiss the actor’s case over disputed ammunition evidence.

In a motions hearing, defense attorney Alex Spiro accused prosecutors of “burying evidence” about ammunition that may be related to the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film “Rust” in 2021.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer sent the jury home for the day and told them to return Monday after the hearing raised more questions and prompted her to call for further testimony outside the presence of jurors

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 is charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces 18 months in prison.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armorer was expected to testify Friday, but it has been delayed. She has already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

On Wednesday, jurors heard opening statements with prosecutors saying that the Hollywood star skipped safety checks and recklessly handled a revolver prior to the fatal incident.

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Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria share kiss at trial

(AP)
(AP)
(AP)

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 21:20

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

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.”

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 21:14

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

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 20:35

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Prop firearms supplier takes the stand

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

His testimony is happening outside the jury’s presence.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 20:16

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‘A wild goose chase’

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.”

(AP)

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.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 18:57

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Defense files surprise motion to dismiss case over ammo evidence

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.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 18:27

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Judge dismisses jury for the weekend

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.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 17:19

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Jury still not in courtroom

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.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 16:49

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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will not testify today

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.

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 15:48

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WATCH LIVE: Alec Baldwin trial resumes

Andrea Cavallier12 July 2024 15:43

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