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Actor and director Alec Baldwin’s legal issues are continuing since he accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer on the set of his movie “Rust.”
A new report says that the family of the woman he killed, Halyna Hutchins, is suing him for “reckless conduct,” CNN reported.
Hutchins was fatally shot last October during a rehearsal for a scene for the film, which was being shot near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the shooting which occurred when Baldwin practiced a draw with a revolver and fired the weapon.
The lawsuit, filed in Santa Fe, alleges numerous industry standard violations by Baldwin and others charged with safety on the set, attorney Brian Panish announced in a news conference Tuesday.
The lawsuit claims the production companies and producers “cut corners” and “chose to hire the cheapest crew available,” specifically noting that they “knowingly hired a wholly unqualified armorer,” and required her to split time in a second role as assistant props master.
“We continue to cooperate with the authorities to determine how live ammunition arrived on the ‘Rust’ set in the first place. Any claim that Alec was reckless is entirely false. He, Halyna and the rest of the crew relied on the statement by the two professionals responsible for checking the gun that it was a ‘cold gun’ — meaning there is no possibility of a discharge, blank or otherwise,” the attorney for Baldwin, and other producers of the movie, said. “This protocol has worked on thousands of films, with millions of discharges, as there has never before been an incident on a set where an actual bullet harmed anyone.”
Others named in the lawsuit include Hannah Gutierrez Reed, prop master Sarah Zachry and assistant director Dave Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin. His attorney argued that he was not responsible for checking the safety of the gun.
This follows another lawsuit Baldwin is facing, that was filed last month for a separate incident.
This time it is the family of a United States Marine who was killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan who is suing the actor for saying that the deceased Marine’s sister took part in the January 6, 2021 incident at the Capitol, Fox News reported.
The 63-year-old actor is named in a lawsuit seeking $25 million and alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
The lawsuit stems from a post that Baldwin shared on Instagram earlier this month after he gave $5,000 to the widow of a fallen soldier to help her with their newborn daughter. Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum was killed on Aug. 26 in Kabul in a suicide bombing as he was processing refugees amid the United States’ controversial withdrawal from the country.
When the actor heard of McCollum’s story, he reached out to McCollumn’s sister, Roice, and gave her $5,000 to give to her brother’s widow, Jinnah Crayton. He later called the check a “tribute to a fallen soldier.”
However, on Jan. 3, Roice shared a photo on Instagram that clearly gave Baldwin second thoughts about his tribute.
The picture showed that Roice was at the Washington monument on the day of the riot and did take part in the protest but was not involved in any of the riotings. But one of her neighbors turned her into the FBI.
“During the rioting, she was stuck in place outside the Capitol Building next to multiple police officers for hours after the rioting began due to the fact that so many people were around her and the area had been locked down,” the lawsuit said. “Later, a neighbor who was unhappy that Roice attended the demonstration turned her in to the authorities.”
The woman was interviewed by the FBI and found to be innocent of any wrongdoing.
But Baldwin was furious with her involvement and sent her text messages to that effect.
“When I sent the $ for your late brother, out of real respect for his service to this country, I didn’t know you were a January 6th rioter,” the actor said.
“Protesting is perfectly legal in the country and I’ve already had my sit down with the FBI. Thanks, have a nice day!” she said.
But Baldwin could not leave well enough alone.
“I don’t think so. Your activities resulted in the unlawful destruction of government property, the death of a law enforcement officer, an assault on the certification of the presidential election,” the actor said. “I reposted your photo. Good luck.”
Baldwin did share the photo with his 2.4 million followers and called her an “insurrectionist.” He has since deleted the post.
