Alec Baldwin could be charged again in the death on the set of Rust

Alec Baldwin could again face manslaughter charges, after a forensic report released Tuesday found his Colt .45 revolver would only fire if the trigger was pulled.

Baldwin was initially charged with manslaughter in the October 2021 death of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. But the charge was dropped after the defense pointed out that the gun had been modified, raising questions about whether it was working properly at the time of the shooting.

Baldwin has denied pulling the trigger. Hutchins, 42, died after being hit with a live bullet on the set of the film Rust near Santa Fe in New Mexico.

The new report that complicates Alec Baldwin

The special prosecutors in the case, Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis, they commissioned a new forensic examination of the weapon and have been awaiting the results before deciding whether to re-file the charges. The report, by Lucien and Michael Haag, was presented to them earlier this month and released Tuesday in a public court filing.

The experts rebuilt the weapon, which had broken during an earlier test by the FBI, and they concluded that it could only have been fired by pulling the trigger.

“This fatal incident was the consequence of the hammer being manually retracted to its fully rearward and cocked position followed, at some point, by pulling or pulling back on the trigger,” the report concluded. “Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings, and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed enough to release the fully cocked or retracted firing pin of the evidence revolver.”

Prosecutors had previously stated that Baldwin will be charged again if the gun worked properly..

“If the weapon is found not to have malfunctioned, charges against Mr. Baldwin will proceed,” they wrote in a June filing.

However, Baldwin has not been charged again and it is unclear if he will be. Morrissey said in an email Thursday afternoon that there will be a formal announcement of the decision. “I hope that decision is made,” he wrote.

Rust’s Armory on Trial

Hannah Gutierrez Reed the film’s gunsmith, faces trial in December on charges of manslaughter and evidence tampering. She has maintained, through her lawyers, that seth kenneya weapons supplier, was responsible for mixing real rounds in a batch of dummies.

In addition to the fatal round, five other rounds were also found live on the set. Forensic experts were also tasked with trying to figure out the source of the live bullets. However, all they could conclude, according to the report, was that the cartridges were different from other cartridges seized from Kenney by investigators weeks after the shooting.

The report also found that there were four different types of dummy rounds on set. Some rattled when shaken, indicating that they could not be fired. Others had a hole in the side, while others lacked primer. The report found that live rounds could be distinguished from those types of dummies, either by ringing them or by noting the lack of a hole.