Hollywood star Alec Baldwin is currently on trial for the fatal shooting on the set of the western film "Rust". The 64-year-old pleads not guilty to the charge of manslaughter - and initially waived his right to testify in court. Instead, his attorney Alex Spiro from the law firm Quinn Emanuel sat in the courtroom for him. And he made serious allegations against the government.

According to a report by People magazine, Spiro said on the most recent day of the trial, "I think I should tell the court that the gun in this case was destroyed by the state." That is a big problem – and the remains must now be used as evidence.

However, New Mexico prosecutor Heather Brewer was not impressed by the allegations. She countered, "The gun that Alec Baldwin used in the shooting has not been destroyed by the state." The gun is available to the defense for inspection.

But then how does actor Alec Baldwin's attorney come to the conclusion that the gun was destroyed? Prosecutors theorize that the cause lies in an FBI report from July 2022, which states that the FBI's functional tests damaged internal components of the weapon.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally injured while filming the western "Rust" at a Santa Fe film ranch in October 2021. Baldwin, who served as lead actor and producer on the film, was operating the gun in rehearsal for a scene when a shot went off. The projectile also hit director Joel Souza in the shoulder, injuring him.

Initial investigations revealed that the Colt had a real bullet in it. Since then, Baldwin and the armorer have always denied responsibility for the fatal accident. So the gun is key evidence in the trial — and could be crucial for Baldwin.