Halyna Hutchins’ family sues Alec Baldwin for wrongful death [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Alec Baldwin is among several defendants being sued in the wrongful death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.”
• Matthew Hutchins filed a lawsuit in New Mexico, alleging that the actor recklessly shot and killed his wife.
• The lawsuit also alleges that the “Rust” production failed to follow basic gun safety rules, resulting in her untimely death.

Halyna Hutchins’ family filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Alec Baldwin and others involved in the film “Rust.” The filing alleges that reckless behavior and cost-cutting led to the cinematographer’s untimely death.

On Oct. 21, Hutchins was shot and killed while preparing for a scene in the New Mexico movie set. Baldwin, the film’s star and co-producer, was holding the gun when it fired. The actor has stated in an interview that he did not pull the trigger.

Hutchins was shot through the torso. The bullet lodged in the shoulder of the director, Joel Souza. Hutchins was airlifted to a hospital in Albuquerque, where she died.

She left behind her husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their 9-year-old son.

“He lost his long-term wife who was the love of his life, and his son lost a mother,” said Brian Panish, who represents Hutchins’ estate, at a press conference announcing the suit.

The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico. It cites text messages and emails sent by Lane Luper, the camera assistant who raised red flags about accidental discharges on set, and who left the production with several others just before Hutchins’ death.

The suit also accuses Baldwin of violating numerous rules for the safe handling of firearms. It also suggests that Baldwin committed reckless discharge of a deadly weapon, “which is a criminal offense in the State of New Mexico.”

Baldwin has said he does not expect to face criminal charges, though the local prosecutor has refused to rule that out.

Randi McGinn, the estate’s attorney in Albuquerque, said she expected the lawsuit would get to trial within a year and a half to two years, which she said is relatively fast.

“In New Mexico, we’re used to people coming in from out of town to play cowboy who don’t know how to use guns,” McGinn said. “You don’t hand somebody a gun until you’ve given them safety training… No one should ever die with a real gun on a make-believe movie set.”

In addition to Baldwin, the suit names seven other producers as defendants as well as crew members and others.

At the press conference, Panish showed a video that included a recreation of the shooting using computer animation, along with supporting material laying out the allegations of negligence.

Source: AOL