Alec Baldwin Sued By Family Of Director Killed On ‘Rust’ Set

AFP

The family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, killed on the set of the western “Rust” by an accidental gunshot, is suing actor Alec Baldwin, 63, for manslaughter. He was carrying the gun that fired the shot.

Last October, Baldwin was rehearsing on a New Mexico set with a revolver alongside Halyna Hutchins, the film’s cinematographer, when the shot that killed her occurred.

At a press conference on Tuesday, attorney Brian Parnish argued that Baldwin and other producers of the western had engaged in “reckless conduct and cost-cutting measures” resulting in Hutchins’ death.

The attorney representing Mathew and Andros, Hutchins’ husband and son respectively, presented a list of “at least 15 industry standard procedures” that he said were ignored by producers on set.

Among these are not using stage weapons in place of a real handgun, lack of qualified people to handle weapons on set, and lack of protective equipment for professionals.

Parnish also argued that Baldwin “backed off” from receiving training to draw the weapon. The lawyer showed a 3D reconstruction of the incident. The suit was filed in New Mexico, where the tragedy occurred.

When asked how much compensation the Hutchins family expect to receive, Parnish said he believed it was “substantial”. This action is the latest in the legal proceedings related to the tragic event.

In November, Serge Svetnoy, lighting director on the low-budget western Baldwin was starring in and producing, sued the actor for negligence.

The film’s gunsmith, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, sued the production’s ammunition supplier in January, accusing him of putting live bullets in blank cartridges. A criminal investigation is under way, but so far no one has been arrested or criminally charged.

Baldwin said on several occasions that he had spoken with the Hutchins family.

In December, during an interview with an American broadcaster, he said that when he was handed the gun for rehearsal, he was told it was unloaded. He explained that he pointed in Hutchins’ direction, following instructions, as he went over how the scene would be filmed.

In the same interview, he assured that he did not pull the trigger of the revolver and that he only cocked it.