(RepublicanInformer.com)- Last Thursday, a lawyer for actor Alec Baldwin confirmed that Baldwin will finally hand over his cellphone to investigators looking into the fatal shooting of the cinematographer on the set of Baldwin’s film “Rust,” shortly after New Mexico authorities said they had yet to receive it.
Aaron Dyer, Baldwin’s attorney, said he reached a deal with New Mexico authorities to turn over the phone after steps were taken to protect Baldwin’s privacy. In a statement last Thursday, Dyer said that they were cooperating with authorities and denied any claims to the contrary.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office had said earlier in the day that Baldwin was refusing to comply with a search warrant to turn over his cellphone. In a press release on Thursday, the Sheriff’s office said that a New Mexico prosecutor was working with Baldwin’s lawyers to obtain the phone. However, the news release said that no cellphone has yet to be turned over to authorities.
The Santa Fe detective heading up the investigation obtained a search warrant in December to examine text messages, emails, and other information from Baldwin’s phone related to the production of the film. The warrant is also looking to obtain any videos, photos, and messages that may have been subsequently deleted.
On Friday, a spokesman for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with CNN that the cellphone was finally turned over to Suffolk County law enforcement in New York who assisted New Mexico authorities in obtaining the device.
Juan Rios, the Sheriff’s spokesman said Suffolk County will retrieve the information on the phone and send any evidence they discover to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office.
Aaron Dyer confirmed that Baldwin voluntarily turned over his cellphone to Suffolk County authorities on Friday morning.
In his Friday statement, Dyer reiterated that Baldwin’s phone will not provide the answers investigators seek, arguing that “Alec did nothing wrong.” Dyer said the only question investigators need to answer is how live rounds ended up in the gun in the first place.
