SANTA FE, N.M. — The “Rust” trial boiled over in hostile bickering between the prosecution and the protection on Wednesday, after the protection poked a number of holes within the Sheriff’s investigation.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the movie’s armorer, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter within the October 2021 demise of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The prosecution has argued that Gutierrez Reed unwittingly introduced stay ammunition on set.

Cpl. Alexandra Hancock, the lead investigator on the case for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Workplace, testified Wednesday that there is no such thing as a “direct” proof of that concept — solely circumstantial proof.

In his opening assertion, prosecutor Jason Lewis argued that pictures present that Gutierrez Reed had the stay rounds on set as early as Oct. 10 — 11 days earlier than the taking pictures — and failed to note them.

However on cross-examination, Hancock agreed that she had “no thought” when the stay rounds got here on set.

“You haven’t any thought in the event that they appeared on Day 1 or Day 11?” requested protection legal professional Jason Bowles.

“Right,” Hancock mentioned.

Bowles additionally questioned why the Sheriff’s Workplace didn’t do a extra thorough investigation to find out the place the stay rounds got here from. Amongst different issues, detectives by no means talked to Joe Swanson, the dummy producer whose initials — JS — appeared on the facet of the dummy field discovered on set.

Hancock testified that the investigation was extra targeted on the taking pictures itself, reasonably than monitoring down the supply of the bullets.

“Actually what’s vital to regulation enforcement have been the circumstances of what occurred that day, and the details and the proof of what occurred through the incident,” she mentioned.

Moments later, Bowles requested if it was honest to say that she didn’t “totally examine” the supply of the stay bullets.

“Sure,” Hancock answered.

The protection has blamed Seth Kenney, who equipped weapons and ammunition to the manufacturing, for mixing stay rounds with similar-looking dummy rounds. Bowles has argued that Kenney labored intently with investigators to shift the blame onto Gutierrez Reed.

Hancock testified that she acquired quite a few calls from Kenney within the weeks after the taking pictures. Requested by Bowles if it felt like he was attempting to affect the course of the investigation, she mentioned no.

“I don’t consider he was attempting to steer me in any means,” Hancock mentioned. “He was attempting to be useful in finding the supply of the stay ammunition.”

Bowles famous that Hancock by no means acquired DNA or fingerprint samples from Kenney, and by no means downloaded the contents of his cellphone. Hancock defined that she had taken samples from actor Alec Baldwin, Gutierrez Reed and two others as a result of “they have been on set” — and Kenney was not.

Bowles additionally faulted investigators for ready greater than a month after the taking pictures to look Kenney’s enterprise, PDQ Arm and Prop, though Kenney was one of many essential suppliers of ammunition used on “Rust.”

Once they did search the enterprise, they didn’t discover stay rounds matching those discovered on set.

“There would have been time for Mr. Kenney, had he wished to, to eliminate proof if he wished to?” Bowles requested.

“If he had wished to,” Hancock replied.

On redirect, prosecutor Kari Morrissey famous that Hancock had adopted up on data pointing to Kenney, however finally stopped pursuing the lead. When requested why, Hancock mentioned that there was no proof to assist the concept Kenney was the supply of the stay bullets.

In her police interrogation in December 2021, Gutierrez Reed mentioned she had introduced two packing containers of rounds to the set, which she had stuffed with dummies which she saved in a bag in her automotive. She mentioned the dummies have been left over from an earlier movie, “The Outdated Method,” and that Kenney had equipped them to be used on that movie.

Tempers flared within the midst of cross-examination of Hancock, as Bowles challenged the detective’s understanding of what Gutierrez Reed had mentioned in her police interview. Hancock had testified that after the taking pictures, Gutierrez Reed mentioned she emptied Baldwin’s Colt .45 onto a prop cart. Bowles argued that Hancock had misunderstood, and the defendant by no means mentioned that.

Bowles and Morrissey exchanged a collection of sharp remarks over that, finally prompting Decide Mary Marlowe Sommer to name a recess. The bickering went on for an additional 15 to twenty minutes, as the 2 sides fought over whether or not and how you can replay an excerpt of the interrogation video.

The choose finally determined to maneuver on, advising the jury that they may watch the video themselves as soon as they start deliberating.

Earlier within the trial, the protection faulted the responding officers for failing to forestall contamination of the scene. The Sheriff’s preliminary investigation has additionally been referred to as into query by Robert Shilling, an investigator who was employed by the Santa Fe district legal professional’s workplace. In an electronic mail final 12 months, he termed the probe “reprehensible,” “unprofessional” and a “mess.”

David Halls, the primary assistant director, is scheduled to testify on Thursday. He beforehand pleaded no contest within the case to a misdemeanor cost of negligent dealing with of a weapon. He was sentenced to 6 months of probation, and agreed to testify in different proceedings.

Baldwin, who was holding the gun that fired the deadly shot, is just not scheduled to testify, as he can be going through his personal involuntary manslaughter trial in July.