Alec Baldwin’s Attorneys Argue Damage to Gun During Testing Was Unacceptable Destruction of Evidence

SANTA FE, N.M.—Alec Baldwin’s defense attorneys argued Monday that damage done during FBI testing to a revolver that killed a cinematographer on the set of the Western “Rust” has stripped them of the ability to put on a proper defense at the actor’s forthcoming trial, and asked a New Mexico judge to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge against him. “They understood that this was potentially exculpatory evidence and they destroyed it anyway,” Baldwin lawyer John Bash said during a virtual court hearing. “It’s outrageous and it requires dismissal.” Prosecutors argued that the gun breaking into pieces during testing was “unfortunate” but that Mr. Baldwin’s team still has plenty of evidence for a defense and did not meet their burden for having the case thrown out....