The conclusion of the criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer clears the way for a related civil lawsuit by the dead woman’s relatives and efforts to depose the actor under oath, attorneys for the plaintiffs in the civil suit said Tuesday. ,Also read: Alec Baldwin’s Rust shooting case is officially over: Here’s what the judge concluded,
At a press conference in Los Angeles, victims’ rights attorney Gloria Allred said the parents and younger sister of deceased cinematographer Halina Hutchins were disappointed that prosecutors would not appeal the dismissal of the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. Criminal charges against Baldwin were dismissed midway through a hearing in July, over allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense.
Hutchins died in October 2021 shortly after being injured during rehearsals for the film Rust at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was aiming a pistol at Hutchins when shots were fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said that he pulled the hammer back – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired.
Allred said Hutchins’ relatives are determined to seek damages and compensation from Baldwin and Rust Growers in New Mexico civil court, and want Baldwin to answer questions under oath in the proceedings. Hutchins’ widower and son previously reached a separate legal settlement.
“With the withdrawal being made public yesterday, we are now able to move forward with our civil case,” Allred said. “Clearly, Alec Baldwin’s rights were protected, but the due process rights of the victims – Halina Hutchins and her parents and her sister – were violated.”
Allred said she was prepared to prove that Hutchins had a close relationship with her parents and sister – a prerequisite for seeking civil damages.
In a civil lawsuit filing in court in November, Baldwin denied allegations that he was negligent or at fault in Hutchins’ shooting and asked for the case to be suspended. Baldwin’s attorney could not immediately be reached Tuesday.
Allred read a statement from Hutchins’s sister, Svetlana Zemko, who said, “Mr. Baldwin must be held accountable.
In April, a judge sentenced film weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to the maximum sentence of 1 1/2 years in state prison after finding her guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death.
Allred criticized New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez for refusing to appeal the dismissal of the criminal charge against Baldwin, and called him “the Grinch who stole Christmas” in a Christmas Eve news conference.
Torrez spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez defended the decision in an email, citing “significant procedural irregularities” identified by the judge in the criminal case.
“Attorney General Torrez will not prolong the grief and suffering of Ms. Hutchins’ family in a futile attempt to save the compromised criminal case against Mr. Baldwin,” Rodriguez said. There are families of other victims in Santa Fe County and throughout New York. Mexicans are waiting for justice, and our energies need to be devoted to supporting those cases on appeal.
