the actor Alec Baldwin will have a civil trial in the alleged negligence case of the film ‘Rust’ that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.Baldwin’s murder case was dismissed in July 2024 after a judge ruled that prosecutors withheld evidence. But he still faces a few charges for the October 2021 shooting.
The gaffer claimed emotional distress as a result of the shooting
According to Variety, Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on set, has alleged that he suffered emotional distress due to Baldwin’s and the production’s negligence.In his defense, Baldwin said he had no idea the gun was loaded with a live round, a serious breach of safety protocols, and that he did not pull the trigger.Svetnoy was not injured in the shooting, although he has reported hearing the sound of gunfire and a loud bang. The judge dismissed his assault claim, finding no evidence that Baldwin intended to harm anyone.
Gaffer Serge Svetnoy’s two claims were upheld by the judge
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter on Friday accepted Svetnoy’s two counts of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.“A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin negligently disregarded the fact that pointing a gun in someone’s direction, triggering his finger, would cause emotional distress,” Leiter wrote in his summary judgment.As for the negligence claim, Leiter wrote that even if others were responsible for the safe handling and operation of a firearm on set, that does not “absolve Mr. Baldwin of his duty of care” to Svetnoy.
Other crew members also filed lawsuits, which have now been settled
According to 6 abc, several lawsuits have been filed in connection with the shooting, including by other members of the “Rust” crew and Hutchins’ husband, which were eventually settled without going to trial and admitting wrongdoing.
How and when the shooting happened
Hutchins died on October 21, 2021, when Baldwin shot him while using a Colt .45 revolver. Baldwin thought the prop gun had fixed rounds, it actually had live ammunition. Manager Joel Souza was also hit in the shooting, but recovered from his injuries.Disclaimer: The information in this report is based on a third party source.
