|
The suit was filed in Santa Fe County, New
Mexico, on behalf of Matthew Hutchins, husband of late
cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and the couple's 9-year-old
son.
"The lawsuit names Alec Baldwin and others who are responsible
for the safety on the set and whose reckless behavior and
cost-cutting led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna
Hutchins," attorney Brian Panish told a news conference in Los
Angeles.
Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded
when a gun Baldwin was using during a rehearsal fired off a live
bullet. The movie was being filmed at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New
Mexico.
The "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live" actor has said he was
told the gun was "cold," an industry term meaning it is safe to
use, and that he did not pull the trigger. Baldwin's attorney
did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Panish said Baldwin bore "a significant portion of liability"
because he was holding the weapon that killed Hutchins.
The attorney showed an animated recreation of what he believed
happened inside the church where actors were filming when the
shooting occurred. He said he did not believe the weapon was
defective.
"The gun cannot fire unless the trigger is engaged and the
hammer is back," Panish said. "So he had the gun. He says he
pulled the hammer back. It fired. She was killed."
The incident is still under investigation by New Mexico
authorities. No criminal charges have been filed.
The wrongful death suit named about two dozen defendants in
addition to Baldwin, including armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and
assistant director David Halls. Representatives for Gutierrez
Reed and Halls did not immediately respond to requests for
comment.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Andrew Hay in
Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Mark Porter and Rosalba O'Brien)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
