OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The walls are closing in on actor and director Alec Baldwin as he faces another lawsuit in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The mother, father and sister of the cinematographer who was accidentally killed on the set of Baldwin’s movie “Rust” have hired famed attorney Gloria Allread to represent them in the suit that alleged battery, loss of consortium, infliction of emotional distress and more, Fox News reported.
The lawsuit names Baldwin, producers of “Rust” and other defendants the lawyer argued are responsible for the death of Hutchins.
Allred told reporters that Baldwin had not reached out to the family and offered an apology since the fatal shooting on Oct. 21, 2021.
Photos of Hutchins along with her mother, father, sister and son were shown during the press conference. Her mother and sister made an appearance via video, where they gave a statement for the first time. The video was translated from Russian to English.
“We are the sister and the mother of Halyna Hutchins. To lose my sister, at least personally for me, was a horrible experience,” Hutchins’ sister Svetlana Zemko said. “And it is one of the biggest losses of my life. And even more devastating is to see the utter suffering of our parents and how their health has sharply declined. “It is for this reason that I would like those who are at fault, for somebody to carry that responsibility. And not just someone, but that very someone who is truly responsible for this. I believe to let this go and to leave this unpunished is unallowable.”
But if Baldwin pleaded guilty just to get the lawsuit to go away it could damage him in the criminal case against him.
“[This lawsuit] impacts him greatly because part of his strategy in resolving the criminal case revolves around whether or not he is seen as being culpable,” Eric Schiffer, a public relations expert, said to Fox News. “So, if he pleads guilty, that could hurt him on the civil side.”
Baldwin already settled a lawsuit with Hutchins’ next of kin, her husband and child in October, 2022.
The lawsuit was filed in February in Santa Fe against the actor who accidentally shot and killed Hutchins on the movie set, CNN reported.
The lawsuit alleged numerous standards violations against the producers and key members of the crew.
As part of the settlement the movie will be made and Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, will be an executive producer.
“We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC. As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed. The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board in January 2023. I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin). All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work,” he said.
“Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation,” Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, said.
And Joel Souza, the director of the movie who was shot and injured in the incident, is also set to be back.
“Those of us who were lucky enough to have spent time with Halyna knew her to be exceedingly talented, kind, creative, and a source of incredible positive energy. I only wish the world had gotten to know her under different circumstances, as it surely would have through her amazing work. In my own attempts to heal, any decision to return to finish directing the film could only make sense for me if it was done with the involvement of Matt and the Hutchins family. Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started. My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this through on her behalf,” he said.
“We are pleased the parties came together to resolve this matter, which, subject to court approval, marks an important step forward in celebrating Halyna’s life and honoring her work.” The attorneys for Rust Movie Productions, LLC said.
