Actor Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter trial unexpectedly halted

The judge sent the jury home after the discovery of new bullets that the defense never had access to.

Dramatic turn of events at the Alec Baldwin trial. The judge interrupted the hearing on Friday, July 12, and sent the jury home, because of the discovery of new bullets to which the defense never had access, a defect that could jeopardize the procedureThe 66-year-old actor is being prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter on the set of his western. Rust in 2021. He faces up to 18 months in prison.

On the set of this film shot in New Mexico, the star had brandished a gun that was supposed to contain only blanks, but which had fired a real projectile. The shot had killed the director of photography Halyna Hutchins, and injured the director Joel Souza. Marked by many weaknesses and twists, the investigation has never established how real bullets, absolutely forbidden on a film set, ended up on the set of Rust.

Nearly three years later, that question is now at the heart of Alec Baldwin’s trial. His lawyers filed a motion Thursday night to have the trial dismissed, accusing police of “buried” evidence to explain the tragedy.

Earlier this year, two and a half years after the incident, the Santa Fe sheriff received a batch of bullets from a former police officer, who claimed that the ammunition matched the fatal bullet. This could potentially establish its origin and clarify the responsibilities of each party in the tragedy. However, these bullets were never given to the defense, who were unable to have them examined.

“It’s time to close this case”said Luke Nikas, one of Alec Baldwin’s lawyers, on Friday morning. An objection taken very seriously by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, who examined the bullets herself with a pair of blue latex gloves. The magistrate dismissed the jury until Monday morning, the time to be able to decide on a possible mistrial.