Key Points
Alec Baldwin's defense attorneys argued Monday that damage done during FBI testing to a revolver that killed a cinematographer on the set of the Western Rust has stripped them of the ability to put on a proper defense at the actor's forthcoming trial, and asked a New Mexico judge to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge against him.ce..
Prosecutors argued that the gun breaking into pieces during testing was unfortunate but that Baldwin's team still has plenty of evidence for a defense and did not meet their burden for having the case thrown out..
Baldwin's attorneys gave long and probing cross-examinations to the lead detective, an FBI forensic firearm investigator and the prosecution's independent gun expert in testimony that was likely a dress rehearsal for the high profile trial, where Baldwin, who was not on the online hearing, will be appearing in person..
The special prosecutors running the case argued that those cross-examinations proved that the defense has plenty of gun evidence to work with at the trial..
She added that all available evidence, from witness testimony to video of Baldwin firing the gun in movie footage, showed that the gun was in good working order on the day of the shooting, and that police had no reason to believe its internal workings could provide exonerating evidence. . Prosecutors plan to present evidence at trial that they say shows the firearm could not have fired absent a pull of the trigger and was working properly before the shooting..
