Inside the Alec Baldwin Rust Shooting Trial: The Role of the Colt .45 Revolver

Alec Baldwin’s trial for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the 'Rust' movie set focuses on the Colt .45 'Peacemaker' revolver. Nearly three years after the incident, Baldwin faces charges of involuntary manslaughter. Legal debates revolve around the firearm's condition and Baldwin's responsibilities on set.

The inner workings of a Colt .45 'Peacemaker' revolver, a symbol of the American Wild West, have become the focal point of Alec Baldwin's trial regarding the 2021 fatal shooting of 'Rust' cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a New Mexico movie set. Jury selection began nearly three years after Baldwin was directed to point his gun at Hutchins as she set up a camera shot inside a movie-set church outside Santa Fe.

Hutchins' death was Hollywood's first on-set shooting fatality in three decades, prompting calls to end the use of real firearms on movie sets. Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial in Santa Fe's modern courthouse is anticipated to last eight days, concluding on July 19.

Remarkably, there is little precedent for an actor facing criminal charges for an on-set shooting death. Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison if found guilty. In March, 'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez was found guilty of mistakenly loading a live round into Baldwin's gun. Gutierrez received an 18-month sentence.

Legal analysts expected Baldwin's case to hinge on whether he inspected the gun after being told it was 'cold,' meaning it was empty or contained dummy rounds. Baldwin claimed in a December 2021 ABC interview that he did not pull the trigger. Forensic firearms testing by the FBI found the gun worked normally and would not fire without the trigger pulled, leading to Baldwin's charges.

Baldwin's legal team presented evidence suggesting the Italian-made Pietta gun could misfire without a trigger pull, potentially due to a mechanical failure. Legal experts predict an uphill battle for the prosecution to prove Baldwin showed criminal negligence.

Prosecutors initially dropped charges, convinced the gun was modified, only for a grand jury to reinstate them following independent expert confirmation. The FBI destroyed the gun during testing, leaving Baldwin's lawyers unable to prove it was modified.

'The worst evidence against Baldwin is the FBI report saying he pulled the trigger and his ABC interview denying it,' said trial attorney Neama Rahmani. Jurors may find it difficult to attribute criminal negligence to Baldwin after others involved accepted blame.

Videos and photos from the 'Rust' set are expected to play a key role, with prosecutors arguing Baldwin's behavior undermined firearm safety. However, key figures like Souza and Halls are set to defend Baldwin, citing typical high-powered actor behavior.

Baldwin's best defense may hinge on uncertainties about the pistol's functioning, as highlighted by firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky, who notes the difficulty in definitively determining the gun's condition.

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

(With inputs from agencies.)