‘Rust’ settlement approved in wrongful death lawsuit against Alec Baldwin
A judge has approved a wrongful death lawsuit related to cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ shooting death on the set of the movie “Rust” when a gun Alec Baldwin was holding fired in October 2021.
The order was entered Thursday but does not reveal details about the settlement.
In October, Hutchins’ widowed husband announced the parties settled the suit pending court approval.
The suit was filed in February 2022 on behalf of Halyna’s husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son, Andros, against Baldwin and others who “are responsible for the safety on the set.”
It alleged “reckless behavior and cost-cutting” that led to the death of Hutchins.
In late October 2021, Baldwin aimed an antique six-shooter at the cinematographer as they walked through a scene on the set of the unfinished Western.
The gun, though a movie prop, was real. But it should have been loaded with dummy rounds.
Despite Hollywood protocols, there was a real .45-caliber bullet inside.
It passed through the 42-year-old’s stomach and then struck director Joel Souza in the shoulder.
Hutchins died after paramedics rushed her in a helicopter to a hospital in Albuquerque 65 miles away. Souza, 48, survived.
In August, New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator ruled Hutchins’ death an accident.
However, an FBI report revealed that the revolver could not have been fired without someone pulling the trigger, contradicting a claim Baldwin made during an ABC interview.
“The trigger wasn’t pulled,” Baldwin told George Stephanopoulos in December 2021. “I didn’t pull the trigger.”
The settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit comes roughly a month after prosecutors dropped Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting.
Special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis announced the decision, stating “new facts” were revealed that required further investigation.
In their motion to dismiss, the special prosecutors noted that the additional work couldn’t be completed before the start of a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 3.
The case was closed in the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico, but Baldwin could potentially still face charges in the future.
Filming resumed on “Rust” in April and was completed May 22, according to a post shared by Baldwin.
