Alec Baldwin turned over his phone to authorities on Friday as part of the investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of “Rust,” nearly a month after investigators obtained a search warrant allowing them to seize it.
Baldwin gave the phone to law enforcement in Suffolk County, N.Y., who will download the data and provide relevant material to the Santa Fe County (N.M.) Sheriff’s Office, said Juan Rios, a sheriff’s spokesman.
The sheriff’s office is seeking information that will help piece together a timeline leading up to Oct. 21, when Baldwin fired a Colt .45 revolver during the set-up for a scene, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin was told that the gun was “cold,” meaning it contained only dummy rounds, and has said that he does not expect to face charges in the case. However, prosecutors have repeatedly said they have not ruled out charges against anyone.
“Alec voluntarily provided his phone to the authorities this morning so they can finish their investigation,” said Baldwin’s civil attorney, Aaron Dyer, in a statement. “But this matter isn’t about his phone, and there are no answers on his phone. Alec did nothing wrong. It is clear that he was told it was a cold gun, and was following instructions when this tragic accident occurred. The real question that needs to be answered is how live rounds got on the set in the first place.”
Santa Fe investigators asked Baldwin to voluntarily turn over the phone, but his attorney advised them to get a warrant, according to the search warrant affidavit. The warrant was issued on Dec. 16, and the New Mexico prosecutors’ office subsequently got involved in negotiations with his attorney to obtain the phone.
The sheriff’s office issued a press release on Thursday noting that Baldwin had still not turned over the phone, apparently ramping up the pressure on Baldwin.
Baldwin posted a video on Instagram last week on the issue, in which he said he was going through the legal process and was concerned about protecting his privacy.
“We are 1000% going to comply with all that,” Baldwin said in the video. “We are perfectly fine with that.”
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