Alec Baldwin Played ‘Russian Roulette’ With Lives of ‘Rust’ Crew Members, Claims New Lawsuit
A second lawsuit is now on the record in the deadly Alec Baldwin Rust shooting accident. The new filing comes on the heels of a gaffer’s court complaint that Baldwin shouldn’t have pulled the trigger on the gun that killed a cinematographer and wounded the film’s director. Here’s what you need to know about the latest legal action against Baldwin.
The new lawsuit accuses Alec Baldwin of playing “Russian roulette’ on the set of ‘Rust’
The second lawsuit in the October 21, 2021 Rust shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, comes from script supervisor Mamie Mitchell. She claims she called 911 after veteran movie star Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed director of photography Halyna Hutchins. Similarly, the same bullet hit director Joel Souza. However, Souza sustained an injury and survived.
Per Yahoo, Mitchell is suing Baldwin and the Western movie’s producers. Gloria Allred is her attorney in the matter. Furthermore, attorneys filed the papers in Los Angeles Superior Court shortly following gaffer Serge Svetnoy’s suit. The lawsuits are separate. Allred emphasized that Mitchell hasn’t spoken to Baldwin or to anyone involved in the previously filed lawsuit.
In a news conference, Allred said that Mitchell was “shocked, traumatized and … suffered physical and emotional harm because of what she saw, heard and experienced when she was in the line of fire when Alec Baldwin’s gun discharged a live bullet on that day.”
Moreover, Allred stated that Baldwin was “reckless.”
“Mr. Baldwin chose to play Russian roulette when he fired a gun without checking it and without having the armorer do so in his presence,” she said. “His behavior and that of the producers on Rust was reckless.”
The script supervisor claims injury and seeks damages from Alec Baldwin and others
In her filing, Mitchell claims that Baldwin fired the prop gun at Hutchins, standing only four feet away from her. Her official accusations include intentional infliction of emotional distress, deliberate infliction of harm, and assault. She seeks punitive damages, as well as compensatory damages.
Among her allegations is the assertion that Baldwin wasn’t supposed to fire the gun on set. Mitchell’s claims back up Svetnoy’s earlier lawsuit, which stated that the script never called for Baldwin to pull the trigger.
“Alec Baldwin should have assumed that the gun in question was loaded unless and until it was demonstrated to him or checked by him that it was not loaded,” states the document. “He had no right to rely upon some alleged statement by the Assistant Director that it was a ‘cold gun.’ Mr. Baldwin cannot hide behind the Assistant Director to attempt to excuse the fact that he did not check the gun himself.”
Assistant Dave Halls allegedly handed the firearm to Baldwin just before the fatal accident.
Mamie Mitchell detailed the ‘Rust’ shooting accident in a statement
According to Sky News, Mitchell herself gave an emotional statement during the news conference.
“I will never forget what happened on the set of Rust that day,” she said tearfully. “I relive the shooting and the sound of the explosion from the gun over and over again.”
Mitchell said that “this violent tragedy has taken away the joy in my life.” Moreover, she is “frightened of the future.”
Meanwhile, celebrities are weighing in with some harsh observations. Some, including Alec Baldwin himself, are suggesting changes for safer movie sets. Dwayne Johnson will only be using Rubber guns going forward. Baldwin suggested that any production with firearms on set should hire a police officer to supervise.
In short, the first two lawsuits surrounding the incident are now on the record. More will inevitably follow.
