‘Rust’ Gaffer Sues Alec Baldwin, Armorer & Assistant Director For Fatal Shooting
The chief of lighting on the dysfunctional Rust set has filed a negligence lawsuit against the film’s producers — including Alec Baldwin, the armorer and assistant director for the shooting that led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
In a statement, Serge Svetnoy’s lawyers expressed that their client was “close personal friends” with Hutchins, and he had her “in his arms as she lay dying on the movie set.”
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While uninjured, Svetnoy says the bullet barely missed him and he is suing for punitive and other damages.
“The bullet was shot from a .45 Colt revolver being wielded by defendant Baldwin while rehearsing a scene for the film Rust. Discharge materials from this blast struck plaintiff directly,” the lawsuit reads per Rolling Stone. “The bullet narrowly missed him before striking the film’s director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, and its director Joel Souza. Plaintiff suffered injury, including severe emotional distress, as a direct and proximate result of this incident,” it claims.
“This incident was caused by the negligent acts and omissions of defendants,” the lawsuit adds. “Simply put, there was no reason for a live bullet to be placed in that .45 Colt revolver or to be present anywhere on the Rust set, and the presence of a bullet in that revolver posed a lethal threat to everyone in its vicinity.”
Svetnoy is scheduled for a press conference later today.