New evidence shows that actor Alec Baldwin was reckless with a revolver before the weapon fired a live round that killed "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, prosecutors alleged ahead of the actor's July manslaughter trial, according to Reuters.
The evidence, which includes images and video from crew and a set photographer, shows Baldwin pointed his gun at a crew member and fired a blank round, held his finger on the trigger when not supposed to and engaged in horseplay with the weapon, special state prosecutors said in a Monday filing.
Baldwin's legal team argue that the gun was modified, allowing it to fire without a trigger pull, an issue that has become central to the 17-month-old case.
Hutchins died after "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez mistakenly loaded a live round into Baldwin's reproduction Colt .45 revolver during filming in a movie-set church near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Gutierrez was found guilty in March of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced in April to 18 months in prison.
Baldwin, meanwhile, was charged for a second time in January with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of Hutchins. His trial is set for July 10.
Baldwin has said he was directed to point the gun toward the camera, he cocked it, and it "went off" on its own. The actor has pleaded not guilty.
Among apparently new evidence that prosecutors intend to show at the trial is an image by set photographer Karen Kuehn taken minutes before a 911 call on the shooting, according to Reuters.
In the photo, Baldwin appears to have his finger inside the trigger guard and his thumb on the hammer, prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Erlinda Johnson said in the filing.
A video clip taken by script supervisor Mamie Mitchell a couple of hours prior to the shooting appears to show Baldwin cock the gun and possibly pull the trigger, the prosecutors said.
In a further unspecified video on the day of the shooting Baldwin is asked to point the revolver left of camera and cocks the gun, despite not being asked to. There is some evidence he also pulls the trigger of the gun, prosecutors alleged.