Alec Baldwin trial: Manufacturer says Colt .45 used on 'Rust' set 'cannot fire without a pull of trigger'

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial entered into the crucial phase with the question persisting as to whether he pulled the trigger of the fateful Colt .45 that took the life of ‘Rust’ cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

As was previously predicted, the entire trial would boil down to the question of whether he pulled the trigger of the gun. 

The 66-year-old actor has, however, always maintained that he “didn’t pull the trigger” of the gun and has pleaded not guilty. If he is convicted then the ‘SNL’ alum may face up to 18 months in prison.

Manufacturer of Colt firearm gives testimony at court

On Thursday, July 11, Alessandro Pietta, a weapons manufacturer of collectible firearms and the manufacturer of the Colt .45 model, testified in court. 

The owner of Pietta Firearms said that the gun “cannot fire without a pull of the trigger because the mechanics and design of trigger was made to work in this way.”

He added pointedly, “If you want to release the hammer, you need to pull the trigger," per People.

Baldwin’s attorneys, however, confirmed that Pietta did not inspect the gun that killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. He only saw a “picture of the gun during a previous interview” via Zoom, while further claiming that he had no idea of the gun of the ‘Rust’ set.

Pietta, nevertheless, said that all his guns undergo quality control at his company and the government's regulatory body in Italy. 

The prosecutors later asked the owner of the marketing firm that imports and distributes the Pietta Firearms in the US, whether he had ever heard of any similar incident. 

As Justin Neal was asked whether he had ever witnessed any customer of Pietta Firearms face a situation of the revolver “going off by itself,” he replied, “Never.” 

Neal also added that the gun "was in perfect condition” before it was sold to the movie’s prop company, PDQ Arm and Prop LLC.

Prosecutor accused Alec Baldwin of 'reckless' behavior on set

Previously on Wednesday, special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson accused Baldwin of violating fundamental gun safety rules and playing "make-believe" with a real firearm. 

Prosecutor Ocampo further focused on Baldwin's "reckless" behavior on set and accused him of breaking the "cardinal rules of firearm safety."

Ocampo told the jurors, "The evidence will show that someone who played make-believe with a real gun and violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety — is the defendant Alec Baldwin," and continued, "After that shooting, the defendant began to claim he didn’t pull the trigger. The evidence will show that’s not possible."

Ocampo further noted that several firearms specialists will attest that "the gun will not discharge without a pull of that trigger."

The prosecutor added, "When someone plays make-believe with a real gun in a real-life workplace, and while playing make-believe with that gun violates the cardinal rules of firearm safety, people’s lives are endangered and someone could be killed,” per CNN. 

She further added that Baldwin acted "in a reckless manner" and "without due regard for the safety of others" on the movie set. "You will hear about numerous breaches of firearms safety with this defendant and with this firearm,” added Ocampo.