December 24th 2024.
In the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, a criminal case against actor Alec Baldwin has recently come to a close. Baldwin was involved in a tragic incident where a cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was fatally shot on the set of the movie "Rust". This has now cleared the way for a civil lawsuit to be pursued by the family of the deceased and for Baldwin to be questioned under oath, according to attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the civil suit.
At a press conference in Los Angeles, victims' rights attorney Gloria Allred expressed the disappointment of Hutchins' parents and younger sister that prosecutors will not be appealing the dismissal of the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. This charge was dropped midway through the trial in July due to allegations of evidence being withheld from the defense by the police and prosecutors.
Hutchins tragically passed away after being shot during a rehearsal on the outskirts of Santa Fe in October 2021. Baldwin, who was the lead actor and co-producer of the movie, was handling a pistol that went off, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has claimed that he did not pull the trigger, but rather the gun accidentally discharged when he pulled back the hammer.
Allred stated that Hutchins' family is determined to seek damages and compensation from both Baldwin and the producers of "Rust" in a civil court in New Mexico. They also want Baldwin to answer questions under oath during the proceedings. It was also revealed that Hutchins' widower and son had previously reached a separate legal settlement.
"With the dismissal of the charges, we can now move forward with our civil case," said Allred. "Although Alec Baldwin had his rights protected, the due process rights of the victims, including Halyna Hutchins and her family, were violated."
Allred also emphasized that she is prepared to prove that Hutchins had a close relationship with her family, which is a prerequisite for seeking civil damages. In court filings from November, Baldwin denied any negligence or fault in Hutchins' death and requested a suspension of the case. At the time of writing, Baldwin's attorneys have not responded to requests for comment.
During the press conference, Allred also read a statement from Hutchins' sister, Svetlana Zemko, which stated, "Mr. Baldwin must be held accountable." This comes after the sentencing of movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to 1 1/2 years in a state penitentiary for involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins' death.
Allred also criticized New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez for deciding not to appeal the dismissal of the criminal charge against Baldwin, calling him "the Grinch who stole Christmas" during the Christmas Eve press conference. However, Torrez's spokesperson, Lauren Rodriguez, defended the decision in an email, citing "significant procedural irregularities" that were identified by the judge in the criminal case.
"Attorney General Torrez does not want to prolong the grief and suffering of Ms. Hutchins' family by trying to revive a compromised criminal case against Mr. Baldwin," Rodriguez stated. "Our focus now needs to be on supporting other victims' families in Santa Fe County and throughout New Mexico who are seeking justice through the appeals process."
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