The terrible saga from the tragic Alec Baldwin fatal shooting took another turn Tuesday. The Haylna Hutchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit, naming Baldwin and the several members of the crew from “Rust.” The lawsuit lists husband Matthew Hutchins and the couple’s 9-year-old son, filed on their behalf.
Haylna Hutchins Family Files Wrongful Death Suit
At issue, the complaint alleges 15 industry standards disregarded on set, reported yahoo.com. Violations alleged include failure to use a replica or rubber prop gun and failure to receive a live arm directly from the armorer. The suit also names armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, props master Sarah Zachary, armorer assistant Seth Kenney and multiple producers. But the complaint targets Baldwin the most, despite his past claims he never pulled the trigger.
“Mr. Baldwin was the person holding the weapon that, but for him shooting it, she would not have died,” said family attorney Brian Panish, reported yahoo.com. “So clearly, he has significant portion of liability but there are others and that’s what this case is gonna be about.”
Early reporting suggests the plaintiffs’ team understands a bit about firearms. A reported single-action revolver, Panish noted the firing mechanism. He alleges only a pulled trigger causes this type of firearm to fire.
“Alec had the gun in his hand, he shot it, Halyna was killed,” Panish said, according to yahoo.com. “The gun cannot fire unless the trigger is engaged and the hammer is back.
“We don’t think the weapon is what caused this,” Panish continued. “The weapon was made to fire – it fired.”
A trial attempting to hold Alec Baldwin and others accountable would likely cause a media firestorm. But for the Hutchins family, nothing will replace a wife, a mother. This remains, in any light, an unnecessary tragedy, one sure to leave a lasting impact on the place of firearms in Hollywood productions.
“It is a young boy who will never have a mother,” Panish said, reported yahoo.com. “We need to hold the people responsible that engaged in this cost-cutting and reckless behavior causing this senseless death… it never should have happened.”
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