Rust trial: Expert witness ‘points gun at judge’

A witness in the trial of the weapons supervisor for Alec Baldwin's Rust film was reprimanded for pointing a gun at the judge.

Frank Louis Blair Koucky III, a firearms expert appearing for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's defence, was given a stern warning by District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer after brandishing an unloaded revolver for demonstration purposes.

"Everybody's nervous because you have not demonstrated to us they are unloaded," said the judge as Mr Koucky held the gun in the witness box. "So before you start showing us the weapons make sure they're unloaded, including that one you just touched."

Mr Koucky then drew a gasp from the public gallery at the courthouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Monday when he appeared to point the muzzle of the revolver in the judge's direction in a bid to prove it was unloaded.

#Rust #alecbaldwin

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[orion]

I think this is the same way this whole mess started.

[soggybadrongle]

wow, if he's an expert i'd sure hate to see how an idiot would handle a firearm

[pwillreal]

This is hilarious. He pointed the gun everywhere but towards the ground.

[Mirakelmannen]

Firearms "expert"! He doesn't even know to not point the gun everywhere. How on earth can anyone be handed a gun in a courtroom without the deputy or other court staff checking the gun first and only then hand it over to the witness? Holy sh*t.

[GordonThompson-lq]

In any proper firearms competition, in a recognized firearms organization, he would be disarmed and made to leave the facility. There is no way that he should be called an expert.

[shannonp]

Pointing it at the judge?! Clearly he’s not learned a damn thing as a result of this tragedy!

[johnvaleanbaily]

An expert witness handling a gun in that matter. I don't think so.

[StephenDoty]

Some expert. He worried more about his vanity tie that day than the darn gun. Pathetic focus.

[sad_vegan]

When a judge has to tell the expert gun witness to stop pointing a gun at them, Jesus

[ragnardanneskjold]

This guy may have seriously harmed her case.

[ecclairmayo]

Thankfully, the police officer was there to quickly correct him.

[billstevens]

He a fake gun expert
Didn't even look to see if the gun was live. Or ask if it was loaded.

[Pixxyou]

I'm guessing the deputy checked the gun brfort it arrived in court.

[darkdan]

Makes me wonder what really happened...

[bhupindertube]

so the "time" to check whether it's unloaded is after putting it on his desk 🤔

[MsCartman]

In all fairness it wasn't loaded. Oh wait, that was literally the point of the entire trial, my bad 😂

[chrisfarrell]

Baldwin was aware that there were live rounds on the set. In fact, a group of people including Baldwin went out in the nearby desert "plinking, " that is to say shooting at targets like bottles, etc. that typically make a plinking sound when hit, during breaks in production.
The responsibility that is being foisted upon the armorer by the judicial system is justified.
But Baldwin should as well be held accountable for his responsibility for the incident occurring.

[criticalwokeracisttheory]

'Make sure the gun is unloaded'

The Judge just vindicated Hannah.

[timstapleman]

I think we all understand why allowing everyone to own firearms as they do in the US of A is not a good idea.

[duncanbedford]

48, 000 gun related deaths in America and growing every year....😢