Actor Alec Baldwin, who accidentally killed a filmmaker on set, “played Russian roulette” when he handled a weapon without respecting the safety rules in force in the cinema industry, accuses a complaint filed against him on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Grandma Mitchell, employed as a scriptwriter on the set of the western Rust where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally injured on October 21, is the second member of the film’s crew to press charges against Alec Baldwin and the other producers.
“Not mere negligence”
Grandma Mitchell, who called the emergency services immediately after the tragedy, said she was suffering from “emotional distress” and other disorders resulting from damage “intentionally caused” by the production. “The events that culminated in the triggering of a loaded weapon by Mr. Baldwin do not constitute mere negligence,” the scripter’s attorney, Gloria Allred, said at a press conference in Los Angeles.
“On the contrary, from our point of view, Mr. Baldwin chose to play Russian roulette when he activated a weapon without having checked it and without the armourer having done so in his presence”, argues the ‘lawyer. “His behavior and that of the producers of Rust were dangerous,” she said.
Also included in the complaint are assistant director David Halls, who gave the gun to Alec Baldwin and told him it was harmless, and filming gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was in charge of the firearms. fire used by the team.
The 24-year-old has repeatedly claimed that she was unaware of the presence of real ammunition on set. This live ammunition was in the revolver operated by Alec Baldwin when he was rehearsing a scene, and it killed Halyna Hutchins before ending up in the shoulder of the director, Joel Souza.
“He did not check the weapon himself”
“Mr. Baldwin and the (other) experienced professionals knew that the weapon in question should never have been given to him by the assistant director” but by the gunsmith of the shooting, accused Gloria Allred. The actor “could therefore not trust any statement from the assistant director on the harmlessness of the weapon”, she reproaches him.
US motion picture safety guidelines state that the gunsmith must explicitly show an actor that the gun is safe and then hand it directly to the actor. “Mr. Baldwin knew that was the rule and that it was not respected. And he did not check the weapon himself”, adds the lawyer.
Last week, Serge Svetnoy, the film’s lighting chief present during the accidental shooting, had filed a complaint for “negligence” against the actor, the production and the gunsmith.