SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was shot and killed on the movie set for “Rust” last year is suing Alec Baldwin and the movie’s producers for wrongful death, their attorney’s said Tuesday. During a Los Angeles news conference, lawyers for the family of Halyna Hutchins said the lawsuit filed is in the name of Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son, Andros.
“It’s a young boy who will never have a mother. And it’s a man who lost his wife who he had a long term great marriage with. So, we need to have them be fully compensated,” said Brian Panish, the Hutchins’ family attorney.
The attorneys claim Baldwin’s and production’s ‘recklessness’ and ‘cost-cutting’ efforts lead to Hutchins’ death. They said the interviewed witnesses and put together an animated video to show how they said everything unfolded.
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It shows that Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during the setup for the filming of a scene when it went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director Joel Souza.
According to the lawsuit, production ignored two other accidental discharges on the set. It also claims that when Hutchins was hit, two crew members came to her aid but that Baldwin didn’t offer help.
The attorneys came up with a list of industry standards they say were violated on the ‘Rust’ movie set including Baldwin using a gun instead of a rubber one while rehearsing, and him pointing the gun at someone without checking its ammunition first. “There are many people culpable but Mr. Baldwin was the person holding the weapon, but for him shooting it she wouldn’t have died,” said Panish.
“I will tell you, no one should ever die with a real gun on a make-believe movie set. That should never happen. And people in Santa Fe understand that. They’re used to guns and they’re real cowboys in Santa Fe,” said Randi McGinn, another attorney for the Hutchins’ family.
The lawsuit is asking for compensation. No dollar amount is given but attorneys said it should be ‘substantial.’ McGinn said she expects a trial within a year in a half. So far, no charges have been filed in this shooting.
Last month Baldwin turned over his cellphone to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. According to the sheriff’s office, they were seeking Baldwin’s phone saying he may have discussed the film’s production on the phone months before the shooting. The armorer on the set has also filed a lawsuit against the film’s ammo supplier claiming they were responsible for putting live rounds with the dummy rounds provided to the production.
