Actor Alec Baldwin will no longer face any criminal charges for his involvement in thefatal “Rust” movie set shooting, but he will be heading back to court once again.
A Los Angeles judge ruled on Friday that a civil case against the 68-year-old actor will move forward to trial.
Baldwin’smanslaughter criminal casefor the tragic October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was dismissed in July 2024, after a judge ruled that prosecutors withheld evidence.
The civil suit was brought forth by “Rust” gaffer Serge Svetnoy, who alleges in his suit that he has suffered “emotional distress” due to Baldwin’s negligence that resulted inHutchins’ death.
The actor was rehearsing a scene with a firearm, though he has said that he was not aware there was live ammunition loaded when the gun fired and killed Hutchins on the Santa Fe, New Mexico film set.
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Baldwin has not only insisted that he didn’t know the gun had live ammo, but also that he did not actually pull the trigger when the fatal shot was fired.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter issued a summary judgment on Friday, rejecting defense arguments that Baldwin and producers were not legally responsible for safety on the set.
“A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with the finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress,” the judge wrote.
The bullet fired from the gun Baldwin was holding struck Hutchins in the chest and travelled through her body and then struck “Rust” director Joel Souza in the shoulder.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
