Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit Friday against the gunsmith and three other crew members in the deadly shooting on the set of the western movie ‘Rust,’ in which a gun Baldwin was using during rehearsal killed the cinematographer. Halyna Hutchins.
Hutchins was killed a little over a year ago, on October 21, 2021, with the set closing on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set in Santa Fe.
Earlier this month, producers said filming would resume in January after reaching a confidential agreement with Hutchins’ widow, Matthew. He will now serve as an executive producer on the film as part of a deal under the deal.
Despite the settlement announcement, the local prosecutor’s office warned that the settlement will not affect its criminal investigation into the death, adding: “No one is above the law.”
Baldwin’s lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court as a crossover lawsuit stemming from an earlier lawsuit in which a different crew member named Baldwin and the others as defendants.
Baldwin’s cross-complaint names gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, first assistant director Dave Halls, prop supplier Seth Kenney and prop master Sarah Zachry.
Alec Baldwin filed a lawsuit Friday against the gunsmith and three other crew members over the deadly shooting on the set of the western movie ‘Rust,’ in which a gun Baldwin was using during rehearsal killed cinematographer Halyna. Hutchins.
Hutchins was killed just over a year ago, on October 21, 2021, and the set has been closed at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe.
Baldwin’s cross-complaint names gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed (pictured left), first assistant director Dave Halls (pictured right), prop supplier Seth Kenney, and prop master Sarah Zachry
Prop master Sarah Zachry is interviewed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office after the shooting.
It’s one of many lawsuits stemming from the tragedy, which is also under criminal investigation and could result in charges from the state of New Mexico against the Emmy-winning actor.
The cinematographer was shot with a gun Baldwin was holding, but the actor insists he didn’t pull the trigger and blames the prop directors for not checking to see if the gun was loaded.
Attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed, Halls and Kenney did not immediately respond to requests for comment in defense of their clients.
The four were also named defendants along with Baldwin in the original lawsuit filed by a script supervisor who claimed the shooting caused him severe emotional distress.
Baldwin’s cross-lawsuit alleges negligence and seeks damages at trial for the “immense pain” he endures.
“This tragedy occurred because live bullets were sent to the set and loaded into the gun, Gutierrez-Reed did not check the bullets or the gun carefully, Halls did not check the gun carefully, and yet he announced that the gun was safe before to deliver it to Baldwin. , and Zachry failed to disclose that Gutierrez-Reed had been acting recklessly off set and was a safety risk to those around her,” Baldwin’s cross-complaint said.
The cinematographer was shot with a gun Baldwin was holding, but the actor insists he didn’t pull the trigger and blames the prop directors for not checking to see if the gun was loaded.
Baldwin’s cross-lawsuit alleges negligence and seeks damages to be determined at trial for the “immense pain” he endures.
The lawsuit was written by Luke Nikas, a Baldwin attorney who works at the Quinn Emanuel firm.
Hutchins was killed when a revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with during filming in New Mexico fired a live bullet, striking her and film director Joel Souza, who survived.
In a television interview, the actor said that he did not pull the trigger of the Colt .45 revolver and fired after he cocked it.
An FBI forensic test of the single-action revolver found that it “operated normally” and did not fire without pulling the trigger.
Earlier this month, producers said filming would resume in January after reaching a confidential agreement with Hutchins’ widow, Matthew. He will now serve as an executive producer on the film as part of a deal under the deal.
Baldwin fatally shot Halyna Hutchins on the film’s set in New Mexico.
Baldwin and Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s husband, shared a hug after the gunshot accident.
The exact production site in California has not been confirmed, but the Golden State has dozens of western movie sets. Pictured: Bonanza Creek Ranch where Baldwin shot Hutchins
The exact production site in California has not been confirmed, but the Golden State has dozens of Western movie sets, including at Pioneer Town in Yucca Valley, Paramount Movie Ranch, Spahn Ranch, and Iverson Movie Ranch.
Baldwin announced the return of Rust production in a post on his Instagram page, noting that the move was part of a “specific desire to do what’s best for Halyna’s son” after she was shot and killed.
He wrote on social media: “Throughout this difficult process, everyone has held a specific desire to do what’s best for Halyna’s son.
Matthew Hutchins has previously said his wife Halyna’s death was a “terrible accident”.
“I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or blame (for the producers or Mr. Baldwin),” Matthew previously said. We all believe that Halyna’s death was a terrible accident.
“I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.”
Following the announcement of the civil settlement, the prosecutor’s office said, “The proposed settlement announced today in the wrongful death case of Matthew Hutchins against the producers of Rust films, including Alec Baldwin, in the death of Halyna Hutchins will have no Impact on District Attorney Mary Carmack”. -The ongoing investigation of Altweis or his final decision to press criminal charges in the case.
