Support truly
independent journalism
The widower of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has promised that he will bring Alec Baldwin back to court on civil charges after the criminal case against the actor was thrown out.
Baldwin broke down on Friday in the Santa Fe courtroom after the judge dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against him on prejudicial grounds, claiming the state withheld evidence.
That decision came nearly three years after the fatal incident on the film set of the Western movie, Rust, which sparked a string of court cases.
In October 2021, Baldwin was holding a loaded gun while rehearsing a scene when it went off, fatally striking Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter in 2023.
Following the collapse of the criminal case, the lawyer for Hutchins’ widower, Matthew Hutchins, suggested that there could be more court proceedings in Baldwin’s future.
“We respect the court’s decision,” attorney Brian Parish told Deadline. “We look forward to presenting all the evidence to a jury and holding Mr. Baldwin accountable for his actions in the senseless death of Halyna Hutchins.”
Though criminal charges may not be brought again against Baldwin, the door is open for civil lawsuits.
That could be a continuation of a wrongful death lawsuit that Matthew Hutchins settled with Baldwin and the movie’s producers in 2022. The terms of that settlement grants money to Hutchins’ estate, including her 11-year-old son. But according to court filings, Matthew Hutchins has not received the settlement payments in a timely fashion.
While it is not clear if Matthew Hutchins will pursue the matter in court, Parish told The York Times this week that the movie producers were “in breach of the agreement”.
Baldwin may also face court proceedings linked to civil action by other members of the Hutchins family.
Gloria Allred, the high-profile attorney representing Hutchins’ parents and sister, said at a news conference on Friday that they will continue pursuing their civil lawsuit.
“We will continue to champion the truth. That Alec Baldwin is responsible for Halyna’s death," Allred said. "We are dedicated to holding Alec Baldwin and the entire ‘Rust’ production team accountable in our civil lawsuit."
Allred said they intend to pursue the case to obtain a jury trial unless Baldwin decides to “resolve it in a meaningful way”.
Baldwin has maintained his innocence and claimed that he was unaware the gun contained live ammunition and he did not pull the trigger.
In March, a jury found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer who gave Baldwin the gun, guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the accidental shooting. Gutierrez-Reed has filed a motion to dismiss her case citing the same misconduct in Baldwin’s trial following its collapse.
