Alec Baldwin Finally Hands Over Cellphone to Authorities in ‘Rust’ Investigation
Alec Baldwin has now handed his cellphone over to authorities in the “Rust” investigation a day after the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement saying it had yet to receive the device weeks after a warrant was issued for its contents.
A rep for the Sheriff’s office in Santa Fe told TheWrap that Baldwin’s legal team turned over the phone to law enforcement authorities in Suffolk County, New York, who will gather information off the phone and provide the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office with the evidence gathered.
While the Santa Fe authorities do not yet have physical possession of the data to be retrieved off Baldwin’s phone, this is in progress.
Baldwin’s lawyer Aaron Dyer, who is representing Baldwin in the civil cases pertaining to “Rust,” did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. However, he has confirmed that the actor’s phone was handed over to investigators.
“Alec voluntarily provided his phone to the authorities this morning so they can finish their investigation,” Dyer told Deadline on Friday. ”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.”
Back in December, a judge from the magistrate court for New Mexico approved the request for a warrant so investigators could look at any messages, photos or contacts pertaining to “Rust,” for which Baldwin served as both the star and one of the film’s producers. The investigation into the death of the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is ongoing and investigators still have not ruled out anyone facing criminal charges.
Baldwin previously pushed back on reports that he was not cooperating with authorities.
“Any suggestion that I am not complying with requests, or orders, or demands, or search warrants about my phone, that’s bulls—. That’s a lie,” Baldwin said in a video filmed Jan. 9. “They have to specify what exactly they want. They can’t just go through your phone and take, you know, your photos or your love letters to your wife or what have you… But of course, we are 1000% going to comply with all that. We are perfectly fine with that.”
