In Santa Fe, New Mexico, a resolution has been achieved regarding a civil lawsuit concerning alleged negligence linked to the tragic shooting of a cinematographer during the production of the Western film, “Rust,” as detailed in court documents made public on Friday.
The legal action was initiated by three crew members from “Rust,” who sought damages for emotional harm from the film’s producers, including Alec Baldwin, who served as both a co-producer and the lead actor.
The lawsuit contended that the producers failed to adhere to standard industry safety protocols, though these claims were refuted by the accused.
The specifics of the settlement have not been disclosed, and attempts to contact legal representatives of both the plaintiffs and producers for comment were unsuccessful.
Among those filing the lawsuit was Ross Addiego, a key crew member who was present nearby during the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, which occurred during a rehearsal in October 2021 at a film set on a ranch near Santa Fe.
Previously, charges of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin were dropped with accusations of evidence being withheld by police and prosecutors.
In a separate case, the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, serving an 18-month sentence which ended in May.
Allegations against her involved the inadvertent introduction of live ammunition on set and neglecting essential gun safety measures.
During a rehearsal on the film set outside Santa Fe, Baldwin pointed a gun that discharged, resulting in the death of Hutchins and the injury of director Joel Souza.
Addiego also played a role in the trial of Gutierrez-Reed, providing testimony, and was involved in the grand jury proceedings that resulted in Baldwin’s indictment.
Filming for “Rust” was ultimately concluded in Montana, and the Western movie made its theatrical debut in May.