The family of Halyna Hutchins, director of photography who died during the filming of “Rust” in New Mexico (USA). On Tuesday, he formally sued actor Alec Baldwin for reckless homicide. The lawsuit was filed in the state of New Mexico against Alec Baldwin and “other responsible for the security of the set during filming,” the family’s attorney, Brian Panish, said at a press conference from his firm’s headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.
Hutchins’ family initiated these legal actions based on Baldwin’s alleged negligent or reckless conduct along with the production team and assistant directors of “Rust.” Through this lawsuit, the first they have undertaken since the tragic event on October 25, 2021, in which Hutchins was allegedly killed by an accidental shot by Alec Baldwin with a blank gun, they request compensation for the damages caused that will have to be determined in a trial.
In October 2021, news circulated that Alec Baldwin had fired a real pistol during the Rust tapings, causing the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The event went around the world, bringing up again the issue of weapons on Hollywood film sets (even Guillermo del Toro was against the practice). Today it was announced that Hutchins’ family has filed a lawsuit against the Dr. Death actor.
According to Variety, the lawsuit was filed in New Mexico, citing text messages and emails written by Lane Luper, a camera assistant, who had issued a warning about accidental downloads on set. Luper, and a couple of people on his team, left the production shortly after coming out on the subject and being clearly concerned.
“The lawsuit also indicates that Baldwin violated different rules for the safe handling of firearms. It also suggests that Baldwin committed a reckless discharge of a deadly weapon, which is a criminal offense in the State of New Mexico,” the Variety report states.
“He lost his wife, who was the love of his life, and his son lost a mother,” Brian Panis, who represents Hutchins’ family and romantic partner, told a news conference. “It should never have happened.”Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun and killed a woman, police confirm
While Alec Baldwin has said he does not expect to face criminal charges, the local prosecutor has refused to rule him out. Randi McGinn, an attorney for the state of Albuquerque, said she expects the lawsuit to reach the court within a year and a half or two, which would be “relatively quick.”
On the deadly event, McGinn said that in New Mexico “we are used to people coming from outside to play cowboy who does not know how to handle weapons. You can’t give someone a gun before you give them safety training… No one should die for a real gun on a movie set.” The lawsuit also names several members of the production as defendants, including Ryan Smith, Allen Cheney, Nathan Klinger, Ryan Winterstern, Anjul Nigam, Matthew DelPiano, and Emily Salveson.Alec Baldwin: The actor’s first statement after murdering a woman on the set of his next film
This is not the first time that Rust’s production has been accused of negligence, other members of the team, such as Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor, did so previously although it was dismissed by Baldwin because he believed that it was a work accident, which should be attended through the state workers’ compensation system. Alec Baldwin has not yet spoken out against the demand of the family of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer who left a great legacy in the seventh art through her work.
