A judge approved a request Thursday by Sante Fe County Sheriff’s department for a search warrant for actor Alec Baldwin’s phone, allowing the authorities to analyze its content as part of investigation of the fatal shooting incident on the set of “Rust.”
Detective Alexandria Hancock, who is investigating the case of the killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, claimed she had requested Baldwin to turn over his phone but was turned down, as the actor’s legal team required a search warrant.
Santa Fe detectives get search warrant for Alec Baldwin’s iPhone in ‘Rust’ shooting inquiry. The actor, who’s also a producer on the western, declined to voluntarily turn over his phone. @laura_nelson https://t.co/Be8SBWl5Fn
— Meg James (@MegJamesLAT) December 16, 2021
“Affiant is requesting a warrant for the seizure and search of Alec Baldwins’ cell phone to search for any evidence relating to the death investigation of Halyna Hutchins,” the warrant request read, according to the Daily Mail.
Hancock filed the request, seeking to obtain call records, text messages, contacts, photos and videos on the actor’s phone.
“Such information, if it exists, may be material and relevant to this investigation,” Hancock wrote in the document, according to the outlet. “Affiant was also made aware there were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production ‘Rust’ in the course of interviews.”
Baldwin told police that he had communicated with the movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, discussing what style of gun to use in “Rust,” on the set of which the incident took place. They agreed to use a Colt .45 pistol, according to the document, the outlet reported. (RELATED: HOOBER: Explaining To Alec Baldwin How A Single Action Works)
During a Dec. 2 interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin said he didn’t feel any guilt for Hutchins’ death, as “someone is responsible for what happened. And I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”” He also claimed that he never pulled the trigger.