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PSBR Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit on Behalf of Halyna Hutchins’ Family Following Fatal Shooting on ‘Rust’ Set

Posted on February 15, 2022

 

Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP attorneys Brian Panish, Kevin Boyle, and Jesse Creed were joined by co-counsel Randi McGinn of McGinn Montoya Love & Curry at a press conference today in Los Angeles to announce the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit against actor Alec Baldwin as well as ‘Rust’ production companies and producers. The lawsuit, filed in New Mexico on behalf of Haylna Hutchins’ husband and the couple’s nine-year-old son, seeks to hold those responsible for the reckless and fatal shooting of the 42-year-old wife and mother who was working on the film set as the Director of Photography when she was killed. 

READ THE COMPLAINT

A vintage revolver, held by Defendant Baldwin during a “line-up” of a gun scene, discharged inside the church and fired a live bullet that killed the cinematographer and injured the film’s director, Joel Souza. Plaintiffs allege in their complaint that Defendants Baldwin and Assistant Director David Halls, among others, did not verify that the gun was loaded or that the ammunition was safe. Attorneys also stated that Defendant Baldwin refused training for “cross-arm” firing, which he was rehearsing when the gun discharged.

As stated in the complaint, “Had Defendant Baldwin, the Producers, and the ‘Rust’ Production Companies taken adequate precautions to ensure firearm safety on the set of ‘Rust’ or if basic firearm safety rules had been followed on the set of Rust on October 21, 2021, Halyna Hutchins would be alive and well, hugging her husband and nine-year old son.” 

The lawsuit brings to light numerous complaints and concerns raised by local camera crew members about set safety in the days leading up to Halyna’s killing, incidents which are detailed in emails and text exchanges from camera assistant Lane Luper complaining about lapses in firearm safety and previous discharges during filming.

“Halyna Hutchins deserved to live, and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.” 

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