A month after the warrant, Alec Baldwin hands over cell phone to police investigating set shooting

AFP

Actor Alec Baldwin, 63, handed over his phone to authorities investigating the shooting that killed a filmmaker on a film set in New Mexico, in the United States, in October last year. The delivery took place almost a month after a warrant was issued to seize the device.

Baldwin wielded a gun while rehearsing a scene from the “Rust” western with cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, who died in the incident.

Police are investigating because live ammunition was at the scene and requested Baldwin’s cell phone in mid-December, arguing it could contain “evidence relevant to the investigation”.

Baldwin’s iPhone, who starred in and co-produced this low-budget feature, was turned over to authorities in Suffolk County, New York, where he resides.

Authorities will seek information from the device and hand it over to colleagues in the state of New Mexico, a spokesperson for Santa Fe County told AFP. The Sheriff’s Department has not yet received Baldwin’s phone information, he added.

Investigators said they want to see the messages and emails the actor has sent and received related to the project. According to the court order supporting the request, the actor had exchanged emails with the film’s gunsmith to discuss what type of weapon would be used in the scene that turned out to be fatal.

Exchanges between Baldwin’s attorney and his wife over the phone will not be turned over to authorities, pursuant to an agreement between Baldwin and the Santa Fe district attorney. The Sheriff’s Department previously said negotiations over “jurisdictional concerns” delayed delivery of the device.

Last Saturday (8), Baldwin posted a video on Instagram in which, among other things, he comments on the cell phone issue. “Any insinuation that I’m not fulfilling requests, orders or orders related to my phone is bullshit, it’s a lie,” he says.

No one has been arrested yet in this case. The actor stated in an interview that he did not pull the trigger on the gun, he just cocked it.