The “Rust” assistant director who presented actor Alec Baldwin with the “cold gun” that shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins will be ordered to sit down for an interview with state security officials.
District Judge Bryan Biedscheid on Friday granted a request from the New Mexico Environment Department’s Office of Occupational Safety and Health to issue a subpoena to Dave Halls, assistant director of the film “Rust,” local media reported. .
The deputy director who handed Alec Baldwin the revolver on the set of “Rust” will now have to sit down for an interview with security officers.
(Instagram | AP Photo / Jae C. Hong | IMDB)
Halls yelled “cold pistol” on the set of “Rust” before Baldwin pulled the revolver back, fired and killed Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on October 21 at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico.
Halls believed the gun was unloaded, according to investigators. He had told Baldwin and the crew that the weapon did not contain ammunition or bulbs.
HALYNA HUTCHINS WAS 18 INCHES FROM THE GUN ALEC BALDWIN WAS STOPPED, SAYS A CREW MEMBER
Security officials tried twice since November 2 to interview Halls for their investigation, but he refused both times through his attorney and said he would not agree to an interview until a criminal investigation into the shooting is completed. a compliance officer wrote in a statement Wednesday. Affidavit in support of the request for summons.
The interview with Halls is necessary because he had responsibilities for set security, knew who was present during the shooting and had handled the weapon, the app noted.
Alec Baldwin has claimed that he did not pull the trigger on the pistol he was holding when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of “Rust.”
(Jeff Neira / ABC via Getty Images)
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Rebecca Roose, an assistant cabinet secretary for the Department of the Environment, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the department proposed an interview Tuesday, but that the judge could set another date or Halls’ attorney could object to the subpoena.
Halls ‘attorney, Lisa Torracco, did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
However, KOB-TV reported that Torraco told the station that Halls will cooperate with state investigators.
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Director of photography Halyna Hutchins died after being shot with a revolver on the set of “Rust” on October 21. Director Joel Souza was also injured by the shooting.
(Mat Hayward / Getty Images for AMC Networks)
Halls’ attorney previously claimed that the deputy principal did not turn the gun over to Baldwin, despite search warrants confirming that he had told police that he had.
“This idea that my client took the gun and handed it to Baldwin didn’t happen at all,” Torracco said in “The Story.” He later backtracked and evaded questions about whether Halls gave the gun to Baldwin, despite Martha McCallum asking if Halls “doesn’t know if he gave the gun to Alec Baldwin.”
Associated Press contributed to this report.