Embattled actor Alec Baldwin has filed legal papers that lay some of the blame for shooting victim Halyna Hutchins’ death on Hutchins herself.
Hutchins was the up-and-coming Hollywood cinematographer who was killed in October when Baldwin accidentally shot her while filming the movie “Rust.”
In his new court filing, Baldwin claims that his contract with the “Rust” production shields him from any financial responsibility for the shooting that ended in Hutchins’ death on the New Mexico set, the New York Post reported.
The documents also claim it was Hutchins herself who told Baldwin where to aim the gun he used to fire the fatal shot.
The filing says Hutchins “directed Baldwin to hold the gun higher, to a point where it was directed toward her. She was looking carefully at the monitor and then at Baldwin, and then back again, as she gave these instructions.”
The court document argues that it was clear Hutchins thought the gun was unloaded — or “cold,” using Hollywood terminology.
“In giving and following these instructions, Hutchins and Baldwin shared a core, vital belief: that the gun was ‘cold’ and contained no live rounds,” the document says.
Baldwin’s filing also says Hutchins instructed Baldwin to pull back the firearm’s hammer.
It goes on to assert that it was not Baldwin’s responsibility to check the firearm he was handed to see if it was loaded because the movie’s guns were under the authority of the set armorer.
Baldwin has repeatedly claimed he did not pull the trigger of the firearm that killed Hutchins.
This filing is another attempt by Baldwin to squirm out of any responsibility for Hutchins’ death.
Beset by lawsuits, Baldwin last week carped about them, saying he is only being targeted because he has “deep pockets.”
Baldwin was referring to a lawsuit filed by Hutchins’ husband Matt in mid-February. The suit paints a picture of a negligent Baldwin running a dangerous film set.
The 63-year-old actor maintains that he bears no responsibility at all for the tragedy, but Hutchins dismisses that claim.
“The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me,” Hutchins told “Today” last month.
“But gun safety was not the only problem on that set,” Hutchins added. “There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced, and there’s multiple responsible parties.”
Despite the accusations, authorities in New Mexico have not filed charges against anyone involved in the shooting.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
