Alec Baldwin’s Heading Back to Court for Rust Shooting

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Alec Baldwin is returning to court regarding the 2021 on-set shooting that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While he was previously cleared of criminal charges, a civil lawsuit alleging negligence is now moving forward.

Serge Svetnoy, a lighting technician on the film Rust, is suing Alec Baldwin, claiming the actor and producer’s unsafe use of a prop gun led to the death of Halyna Hutchins. A judge in Los Angeles ruled on Friday that the lawsuit can proceed, but dismissed claims of intentional assault, finding no evidence Baldwin meant to harm Hutchins. Entertainment Weekly reported on the ruling.

Alec Baldwin Heads Back to Court in October

The judge stated that determining intent in this case differs from the assault claim. A jury could reasonably conclude that Mr. Baldwin acted recklessly by pointing a loaded gun at someone with his finger on the trigger, potentially causing them emotional distress.

John Upton, the lawyer for Sventoy, stated they were happy with the court’s decision to reject the requests for a quick ruling made by Rust Movie Productions and Alec Baldwin. This means Sventoy will now have the opportunity to present his case to a jury, with a trial scheduled for October. He is eager to finally have his day in court to resolve this ongoing issue.

The incident occurred on October 21, 2021, while Alec Baldwin was filming the movie Rust at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. During preparations for a scene, Baldwin was holding a prop gun that mistakenly contained a live bullet. The gun discharged, injuring director Joel Souza and then fatally striking Halyna Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin Was Not Found Guilty of Manslaughter

After the shooting, Baldwin faced charges and went to trial in July 2024. However, the case against him was dropped, as the judge determined prosecutors hadn’t shared crucial evidence – a violation of legal disclosure rules. In related trials, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on set, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and David Halls, the first assistant director, was found guilty of using a deadly weapon negligently.

After Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, became an executive producer and gave his approval, the film Rust was finally finished. Despite its completion, the Western performed poorly in theaters, earning just over $26,000, likely because of the shooting that occurred during production. It was quickly released for streaming and received mixed reviews, with a 58% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Baldwin’s trial date for the civil case is set for Oct. 12, 2026.

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2026-04-19 21:35