Connected
2022-03-13 12:15:45 UTC
LOS ANGELES -- Alec Baldwin's says in a legal filing Friday that
Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer on the set of "Rust," told
him to cock the gun that ultimately fired a live round of
ammunition, resulting in her death.
CNN has obtained the arbitration demand filed by Baldwin's
lawyer which describes in detail Baldwin's version of the
moments that led up to the fatal shooting last October in New
Mexico. In it, Baldwin claims that he asked Hutchins if he
should cock the gun and that she told him to do it.
"Baldwin asked Hutchins whether she wanted to see him cock the
gun, as the script required. She responded yes. Baldwin tipped
the gun down somewhat so that the lens of the camera would be
able to focus on his hand's action on the top of the gun. While
performing this action, Baldwin asked Hutchins, 'Am I holding it
too far down?' and 'Do you see that?' Hutchins responded that
she could see Baldwin's action from her angle. Baldwin then
pulled back the hammer, but not far enough to actually cock the
gun. When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off," the
filing says.
WATCH: 'Someone is responsible ... but I know it's not me,'
Baldwin says of 'Rust' shooting
Attorneys for Hutchins' family told CNN in a statement:
"Alec Baldwin once again is trying to avoid liability and
accountability for his reckless actions before and on Oct 21st
that resulted in the death of Halyna Hutchins, as demonstrated
by today's arbitration demand for indemnification from the Rust
production company. Baldwin's disclosure of personal texts with
Matt Hutchins is irrelevant to his demand for arbitration and
fails to demonstrate anything other than Hutchins' dignity in
his engagement with Baldwin. It is shameful that Baldwin claims
Hutchins' actions in filing a wrongful death lawsuit derailed
the completion of "Rust." The only action that ended the film's
production was Baldwin's killing of Halyna Hutchins."
The court documents also claim that when Baldwin arrived on the
New Mexico set, he underwent a training session with the film's
armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and that he understood from that
session that he did not need to check the gun for live
ammunition.
"Reed did not instruct Baldwin to check the gun himself. In
fact, she told Baldwin that it was her job to check the gun-not
his," the documents read. "Similarly, Baldwin believed, based on
prior gun safety training he received on movie sets, that actors
should not unilaterally check guns for live ammunition. If
actors want to check a gun for their own peace of mind, they
should only check the gun with the armorer closely supervising
the process. In other words, actors may jointly inspect a gun
with the armorer, but never on their own."
CNN has reached out to representatives for Guiterrez Reed.
The legal filing Friday also includes numerous text messages
between Baldwin and Matthew Hutchins following the shooting, up
until Baldwin's ABC interview. Two weeks following his sit-down,
Baldwin's final text to Hutchins was to wish his son a happy
birthday."
Since October 21, Baldwin had offered comfort and support to
Matthew Hutchins and his son, as well as constructive input
towards a settlement of the case," Baldwin's arbitration filing
states. "He has worked extensively to find ways to help Hutchins
and his son. It is that same spirit that renders Baldwin
reluctant to contradict some of Matthew Hutchins's public
statements. Unfortunately, given the nature of Hutchins's
accusations against Baldwin, he has no choice."
CNN a representative for Rust Movie Productions LLC.
https://abc30.com/alec-baldwin-rust-movie-shooting-halyna-
hutchins-family-on-set/11646361/
Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer on the set of "Rust," told
him to cock the gun that ultimately fired a live round of
ammunition, resulting in her death.
CNN has obtained the arbitration demand filed by Baldwin's
lawyer which describes in detail Baldwin's version of the
moments that led up to the fatal shooting last October in New
Mexico. In it, Baldwin claims that he asked Hutchins if he
should cock the gun and that she told him to do it.
"Baldwin asked Hutchins whether she wanted to see him cock the
gun, as the script required. She responded yes. Baldwin tipped
the gun down somewhat so that the lens of the camera would be
able to focus on his hand's action on the top of the gun. While
performing this action, Baldwin asked Hutchins, 'Am I holding it
too far down?' and 'Do you see that?' Hutchins responded that
she could see Baldwin's action from her angle. Baldwin then
pulled back the hammer, but not far enough to actually cock the
gun. When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off," the
filing says.
WATCH: 'Someone is responsible ... but I know it's not me,'
Baldwin says of 'Rust' shooting
Attorneys for Hutchins' family told CNN in a statement:
"Alec Baldwin once again is trying to avoid liability and
accountability for his reckless actions before and on Oct 21st
that resulted in the death of Halyna Hutchins, as demonstrated
by today's arbitration demand for indemnification from the Rust
production company. Baldwin's disclosure of personal texts with
Matt Hutchins is irrelevant to his demand for arbitration and
fails to demonstrate anything other than Hutchins' dignity in
his engagement with Baldwin. It is shameful that Baldwin claims
Hutchins' actions in filing a wrongful death lawsuit derailed
the completion of "Rust." The only action that ended the film's
production was Baldwin's killing of Halyna Hutchins."
The court documents also claim that when Baldwin arrived on the
New Mexico set, he underwent a training session with the film's
armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and that he understood from that
session that he did not need to check the gun for live
ammunition.
"Reed did not instruct Baldwin to check the gun himself. In
fact, she told Baldwin that it was her job to check the gun-not
his," the documents read. "Similarly, Baldwin believed, based on
prior gun safety training he received on movie sets, that actors
should not unilaterally check guns for live ammunition. If
actors want to check a gun for their own peace of mind, they
should only check the gun with the armorer closely supervising
the process. In other words, actors may jointly inspect a gun
with the armorer, but never on their own."
CNN has reached out to representatives for Guiterrez Reed.
The legal filing Friday also includes numerous text messages
between Baldwin and Matthew Hutchins following the shooting, up
until Baldwin's ABC interview. Two weeks following his sit-down,
Baldwin's final text to Hutchins was to wish his son a happy
birthday."
Since October 21, Baldwin had offered comfort and support to
Matthew Hutchins and his son, as well as constructive input
towards a settlement of the case," Baldwin's arbitration filing
states. "He has worked extensively to find ways to help Hutchins
and his son. It is that same spirit that renders Baldwin
reluctant to contradict some of Matthew Hutchins's public
statements. Unfortunately, given the nature of Hutchins's
accusations against Baldwin, he has no choice."
CNN a representative for Rust Movie Productions LLC.
https://abc30.com/alec-baldwin-rust-movie-shooting-halyna-
hutchins-family-on-set/11646361/