Getting to “the Truth” B Y G R A N T C R AW F O R D g r a n t @ s f r e p o r t e r. c o m
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ours after the deadly shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza on the film set of Rust, a disheveled Alec Baldwin sat across from Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office investigators in a police interview room, questioning what had just happened in the old church at Bonanza Creek Ranch. The video of actor and producer Baldwin’s first interview with authorities after the incident stands in stark contrast to the polished exchange he had with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in December, about a month after the fatal accident. As he speaks with detectives, Baldwin’s hair is unkempt and beard full; he’s seen wearing a plain blue T-shirt with the neckline stretched out. It was there he learned the shot that came from the prop gun he was holding killed Hutchins, 42. Baldwin’s appearance was different in the two settings, but his story was the same. “As I suspected, somebody put a live round in the gun,” Baldwin tells detectives. How the live bullet found its way into the prop firearm, he says he doesn’t know, but can’t imagine it was done deliberately. It appears law enforcement is still trying to answer the same question. Sheriff Adan Mendoza, whose office on Monday released a massive cache of videos and documents from
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investigators in a video of his interview with Sheriff’s Det. Alexandra Hancock. Baldwin says Hutchins was telling him where to point the gun to set up a camera angle, and that he and everyone else believed it to be a “cold gun,” not meant to produce a flash or fire. “They were standing in a position they wouldn’t normally be in because they assumed it was an empty, cold gun…I draw the gun slowly and aim off camera, and Video from the set there’s supposed to be nothing in there, so of Rust released on Monday shows she’s not protecting herself,” Baldwin tells actor and producer investigators. Alec Baldwin drawing He says when he released his thumb from a firearm during a the hammer of the gun it went off, striking rehearsal. Hutchins in the armpit before hitting Souza in the shoulder. Rust Movie Productions, LLC is facwas aware that firearms safety procedures Santa Fe County sheriff were not being followed during the filming ing multiple civil suits, including a claim releases huge number by Hutchins’ family in New Mexico’s First of Rust. of files on Rust criminal The environment department investigat- Judicial District Court, accusing Baldwin ed alleged administrative violations—and a of breaching industry protocols. The film’s investigation; Baldwin handful of lawsuits are focusing on alleged script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, filed a questions procedures civil lawbreaking—as opposed to Mendoza’s suit against Baldwin and the producers in as crew members Los Angeles County Superior Court, saying probe, which involves potential crimes. she suffered pain in her ears because she The sheriff’s office originally sent out the shift blame files around noon on Monday, but had to sus- was standing only a few feet away when the pend its Dropbox account shortly afterward gun went off. Chief lighting technician Serge due to excessive traffic spurred by news or- Svetnoy also alleges the producers are at the scene of the incident, says he can’t com- ganizations attempting to access them. The fault and responsible for his severe emotionplete his criminal investigation without out- case has for half a year drawn heavy, interna- al distress in a Los Angeles County lawsuit. standing ballistics and fingerprint analyses tional scrutiny in the news media. In text messages from December befrom the FBI, a finding on cause and manner The sheriff’s department eventually tween Baldwin and Sarah Zachry, the proof death from the state Office of the Medical sorted out the tech issue, and the records duction’s prop master, Baldwin wrote “they Investigator and a review of Baldwin’s cell revealed for the first time what Baldwin told seem to be getting very close to the truth of phone data by New York prosecutors. law enforcement after the shooting—and what happened,” adding that private invesShortly after Mendoza’s announce- what he said in private conversations with tigators had been hired and “they may get to ment, First Judicial District Attorney Mary coworkers. the truth before the police do.” Carmack-Altwies, issued a release of her “There is too much riding on this for too Baldwin definitively states that he was own, saying the sheriff’s department has holding the revolver when it discharged. many people,” Baldwin wrote to Zachry. turned over a portion of its investigation. Baldwin has denied any responsibility “We’ve done this for two weeks and we Once her office receives the entire analy- did it the right way every day,” Baldwin tells for the shooting and crew members have sis and conducts a thorough since placed the blame on review of all the evidence, “a one another. In text mescriminal charging decision will sages between Zachry and be made,” Carmack-Altwies’ costume designer Terese statement reads. Davis, Davis wrote that ar“Once these investigative morer Hannah Guiterrezcomponents are provided to the Reed “fucked up.” sheriff’s office we will be able “She got someone to complete the investigation killed,” Davis wrote. “And to forward it to the Santa Fe rather than take responsiDistrict Attorney for review,” bility and face it, she’s trying Mendoza says in his release. to take everyone else down Monday’s flurry of acwith her.” tivity in the case comes on Attorneys for Gutierrezthe heels of the New Mexico Reed have pushed back, Environment Department’s though, saying she was nevOccupational Health and er called into the church Safety Bureau fining the prowhere the scene was takduction company $136,793— ing place and that Baldwin the maximum penalty allowed knew he wasn’t supposed Shortly after the gunshot, the cast and crew were forced to empty the old by the state. The environment to point a firearm at crew church where a scene was to take place. Police labeled items as evidence. department says the company members. COURTESY SANTA FE COUNTY SHERIFF
COURTESY SANTA FE COUNTY SHERIFF
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SFREPORTER.COM SFREPORTER.COM • • APRIL APRIL27-MAY 27-MAY3,3,2022 2022
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