Husband of ‘Rust’ cinematographer killed by a bullet in Alec Baldwin’s ‘prop’ gun to testify
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The widower of the ‘Rust’ cinematographer killed on set when Alex Baldwin fired a prop gun on set will testify during the actor’s manslaughter trial
- Matthew Hutchins is likely to testify in court against Alec Baldwin on February 24.
- He supports the charges against the actor despite previously expressing “no interest in engaging in recriminations.”
- The widower settled a lawsuit against Baldwin last year and became executive producer of ‘Rust’ as part of the deal.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ husband is likely to testify in court after she was killed by a bullet in Alec Baldwin’s ‘accessory’ gun.
Matthew Hutchins was added to the New Mexico district attorney’s witness list to testify at the February 24 preliminary hearing against Baldwin and Rust gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, according to the documents.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were indicted last month with manslaughter in connection with Halyna’s death on the low-budget New Mexico set in October 2021.
Prosecutors allege Baldwin pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins while Gutierrez-Reed failed to ensure it was unloaded.
The widower, who shared a nine-year-old son with Halyna, sued the Rust production team last year and was named chief executive as part of the settlement. He previously expressed ‘no interest in participating in recriminations’.
Matthew Hutchins (left) was added to the New Mexico District Attorney’s witness list to testify at the February 24 preliminary hearing against Alec Baldwin. Matthew is pictured above with Halyna and her son, now nine years old.
Baldwin was indicted last month for involuntary murder in connection with Halyna’s death on the low-budget New Mexico set in October 2021.
The extensive list of witnesses includes director Joel Souza, who was wounded by the bullet that went through Halyna, and assistant director David Halls.
Halls is accused of telling Baldwin the gun was “cold,” safe, a charge he has denied. He agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors in January that included a six-month suspended sentence and a fine.
PString worker Seth Kenney, camera assistant Lane Luper, line producer Gabrielle Pickle, and script supervisor Maime Mitchell are also likely to testify.
Mitchell was the first to call 911 after Hutchins was shot. The script supervisor was standing closest to Hutchins when the bullet fired from Baldwin’s gun.
He previously filed his own lawsuit in 2021 against Baldwin and others on the western film set. The lawsuit alleges assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and willful infliction of damage. It also states that the scene being filmed did not require a gun to be fired.
Meanwhile, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed have denied manslaughter charges and the gunsmith claimed she was “too stretched out” on the set of the low-budget film.
Prosecutors allege Baldwin pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins while on set.
Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 25, (left) will also be charged with manslaughter. Dave Halls, the assistant principal, pleaded guilty to one count of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
Rust’s script supervisor Mamie Mitchell, the first person to call 911 after Alec Baldwin accidentally shot Halyna Hutchins on the film’s set last month, broke down in tears in 2021 when she announced that he would file a lawsuit against Baldwin and other producers of the low-budget western film. She will probably be a witness in court.
Halyna Hutchins with her husband Matthew, a film producer, and their son Andros, who was eight years old when his mother was shot and killed on the set of Rust in New Mexico.
Despite the lawsuit being settled last year and Matthew saying he did not want any further “recriminations,” Halyna’s family said last month that they support charging Alec Baldwin with manslaughter.
The Hutchins family, including Matthew, welcomed the decision through their attorney Brian J Panish, who said: “It’s a comfort to the family to know that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law.”
Panish added that Hutchins had been killed “with conscious disregard for human life” and stated that “an independent investigation also supports the charges”.
Matthew, who called Baldwin “supportive” immediately after Halyna’s death, said after the settlement was reached: “I have no interest in participating in recriminations or pinning blame (on the producers or on Mr. Baldwin).”
He added: ‘All of us believe that Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work.
It is unclear why the Hutchins family now supports the charges against Baldwin.
If convicted, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed face a maximum of 18 months in prison if convicted.