Following confirmation Thursday that Alec Baldwin will no longer face criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins, the family of the Rust cinematographer will press ahead with a civil suit against Baldwin, who was holding the prop gun that fired the bullet killing Hutchins on set in October 2021.
Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents Hutchins’ mother Olga Solovey, her father Anatolii Androsovych, and sister Svetlana Zemko, said Friday her clients “remain hopeful”, asserting:
“Mr Baldwin may pretend that he is not responsible for pulling the trigger and ejecting a live bullet which ended Halyna’s life. He can run to Montana and pretend that he is just an actor in a wild west movie but, in real life, he cannot escape from the fact that he had a major role in a tragedy which had real life consequences.”
Baldwin’s lawyers called their action “misguided” and unlikely to survive legal scrutiny. Baldwin, as both star and producer of the film, previously reached a deal with Hutchins’ widower, the details of which remain private, but which include the latter becoming a named exec producer on the film, which has now resumed production in Montana.
Director Joel Souza made a statement, calling the move “bittersweet” and vowed to finish the film “on Halyna’s behalf.” No “working firearms” or ammunition are allowed on set for the film, expected to wrap in May.
Baldwin had been due to appear in court May 3rd for a preliminary hearing, but the charges were withdrawn on Thursday, following prosecutors’ receipt of “other information.” The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, remains charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.