Days before a preliminary hearing in the involuntary manslaughter case against actor Alex Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the Santa Fe district attorney has added two names to her already extensive witness list — “Rust” movie assistant director David Halls and Matt Hutchins, husband of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was shot dead during a rehearsal on the movie set.
Halls handed the gun that killed Hutchins in October 2021 to Baldwin, telling him it was not loaded with live ammunition, and has been given a plea deal for a misdemeanor, although the details have not been revealed, as CrimeOnline has reported. Matt Hutchins filed a wrongful death suit against Baldwin and others after his wife’s death and settled the suit out of court in an undisclosed deal that made him executive producer of the western movie, which is reportedly set to resume filming this spring.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed face five years in prison on the felony charge against them and are expected to appear virtually for the preliminary hearing on Friday.
The witness list — obtained by Deadline — was amended late last week to add Halls and Hutchins and includes several crew members from the movie — including director Joel Souza, who was wounded in the shooting and others who were under scrutiny in the investigation into how live ammunition made its way into a gun used in the movie. That question was not answered in the 551-page report, which cited numerous safety violations and cut corners on the New Mexico set.
Some of those crew members have filed lawsuits against Baldwin.
Last week, celebrity attorney Gloria Allred filed a suit against him, his management firm Cavalry Media, and the Western movie’s producers on behalf of Hutchins’ Ukrainian parents and sister. Matt Hutchins, however, distanced himself from that suit through his attorney.
“We do not believe any other family members have a claim under New Mexico or California law, Brian J. Panish told Deadline. “Neither Mr. Hutchins nor his attorneys were made aware of the family’s intention to file a lawsuit before today.”
Panish said in January, however, that Hutchins does support the charges filed against Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin.
“Our independent investigation also supports charges are warranted. It is a comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law,” he said. “We support the charges, will fully cooperate with this prosecution, and fervently hope the justice system works to protect the public and hold accountable those who break the law.”
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[Featured image: FILE – In this image from video released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Alec Baldwin stands in costume and speaks with investigators following a fatal shooting on a movie. (Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File)]
