The family of Cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins killed during filming of the movie “Rust” has filed a wrongful death suit against actor Alec Baldwin and others on Tuesday, February 15 claiming they disregarded several industry-wide practices meant to keep movie sets safe.
Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded when a gun Baldwin was using during a rehearsal fired off a live bullet. The movie was being filmed at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico.
Baldwin has said he was told the gun was “cold,” a movie industry term meaning it is safe to use, and that he did not pull the trigger
Lawyers of Matthew Hutchins, husband to Halyna filed the lawsuit in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, on behalf of Matthew and the couple’s 9-year-old son.
“The lawsuit names Alec Baldwin and others who are responsible for the safety on the set and whose reckless behavior and cost-cutting led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins,” Attorney Brian Panish told a news conference in Los Angeles.
The wrongful death suit named about two dozen defendants in addition to Baldwin, including armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and assistant director David Halls
Panish said Baldwin bears “a significant portion of liability” because he was holding the weapon that killed Hutchins.
The attorney showed an animated recreation of what he believed happened inside the church where actors were filming when the shooting occurred.
The lawyer said he did not believe the weapon was ‘cold’ or not working properly.
“The gun cannot fire unless the trigger is engaged and the hammer is back,” Panish said. “So he had the gun. He says he pulled the hammer back. It fired. She was killed.”
