Alec Baldwin's Legal Troubles Get Worse as Three 'Rust' Crew Members Hit Him with New Lawsuit

By Johnathan Jones February 28, 2023 at 12:49pm

Three crew members who were on the set of the film “Rust” when Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins are suing him over what they say was an accident waiting to happen.

Dolly operator Ross Addiego, costume designer Doran Curtin and key grip Reese Price are suing the actor, Rust Movie Productions and El Dorado Pictures for unspecified damages, TMZ first reported Tuesday.

They allege the defendants are guilty of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Santa Fe, New Mexico, court, is just the latest headache for Baldwin, who has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ tragic death on Oct. 21, 2021.

According to the three plaintiffs in this civil lawsuit, the film’s short schedule and relaxed firearms training and the actor’s careless actions left them experiencing hearing issues from “blast injuries” as well as psychological trauma.

The three allege Baldwin, 64, is directly responsible for the incident that left Hutchins dead and the film’s director, Joel Souza, wounded in the New Mexico desert.

They say their traumatic experience would have been avoided and Hutchins would be alive had the actor simply decided to take safety seriously.

The lawsuit questions the decision to use “operable firearms” throughout the majority of the 21 scheduled filming days. Numerous accidental discharges of firearms were reported to have occurred during the production of the film in 2021.

The plaintiffs argue alternatives to live guns, such as props, could and should have been used.

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Much of the blame for the shooting has been placed on armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who the lawsuit says “lacked essential experience” that should have been required of someone in her position.

If that is the case, Baldwin, a producer on the film, could have replaced her with someone who had more experience.

But according to the latest legal headache for the actor, he plowed ahead — undeterred by multiple red flags.

The civil suit alleges it was assistant director David Halls who gave Baldwin the loaded gun and told him it was safe to handle. But Baldwin allegedly pointed it at Hutchins and Souza without doing his own inspection, as was required of someone in his position.

The lawsuit portrays the film’s production as having been plagued with issues that a reasonable person or person would have taken more seriously.

“These injuries were caused by Defendants’ failure to follow industry safety rules,” it says. “Defendants cut corners; ignored reports of multiple, unscripted firearms discharges; and persisted, rushed and understaffed, to finish the film.”

Baldwin has claimed the weapon that killed Hutchins went off on its own. Addiego, Curtin and Price tell a different story.

“Defendant Baldwin cocked the hammer of the revolver with the trigger pulled and fired it towards the crew striking Hutchins, and injuring Plaintiffs,” their suit says.

The three also say Baldwin never showed any concern for their well-being after the horrific incident.

“After the shooting, Defendants offered no diagnostic services or any meaningful emotional or mental health services to Plaintiffs. Despite this, Plaintiffs have independently sought support in dealing with their injuries which include, but are not limited to, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder,” the lawsuit says.

It has become clear the production of “Rust” was plagued by systematic issues that in this case ended in tragedy.

With Baldwin facing criminal and civil litigation, it does not appear he can expect much, if any, support from those who witnessed the deadly shooting.

Seven people were inside the church set during the incident. One was killed, another was wounded and three of them are suing or blaming the remaining two: Baldwin and Halls, who is cooperating with prosecutors against the actor.

A court will ultimately decide the outcomes of both Baldwin’s criminal and civil cases. The tragedy occurred on a film set, so there should be plenty of video evidence.

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