Alec Baldwin to Stand Trial in Civil Lawsuit Over Fatal ‘Rust’ Set Shooting

A judge in California has ruled that actor Alec Baldwin must face a civil trial over claims that he acted negligently during the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.

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The lawsuit was brought by Serge Svetnoy, a gaffer who worked on the production in New Mexico. He claims the 2021 shooting caused him significant emotional distress and that Baldwin’s actions on set were negligent.

On Friday, Maurice Leiter of the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled that two of Svetnoy’s claims—negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress—could proceed to trial.

Judge Allows Key Claims to Proceed

In his ruling, Judge Leiter wrote that a jury could reasonably conclude that Baldwin acted recklessly by pointing a firearm toward people on set with his finger on the trigger.

“A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with his finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress,” the judge said in his summary judgment.

Leiter also determined that although other crew members had responsibility for firearm safety on the set, that did not remove Baldwin’s own obligation to exercise care toward colleagues working nearby.

Svetnoy has argued that the bullet that killed Hutchins narrowly missed him, adding to his emotional trauma.

However, the judge dismissed a separate assault claim brought by Svetnoy. Leiter said there was no evidence that Baldwin intended to harm him or anyone else during the incident.

Background of the Fatal Shooting

Hutchins died on 21 October 2021 when she was shot during a rehearsal involving a Colt .45 revolver that Baldwin believed contained dummy rounds. The weapon instead discharged a live bullet.

The shot also injured director Joel Souza, who recovered from his wounds.

Baldwin has consistently denied pulling the trigger.

Several lawsuits were filed after the incident by crew members and by Hutchins’ husband. Many of those cases were later settled without admission of wrongdoing.

Criminal Case and Related Proceedings

The shooting also led to criminal proceedings. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024. Prosecutors argued she introduced the live round to the set and failed to follow required safety procedures when handling firearms.

She was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the maximum penalty for the offence, and has since been released.

Baldwin himself was charged with involuntary manslaughter but pleaded not guilty. The case was dismissed during his 2024 trial by Mary Marlowe Sommer.

Judge Sommer ruled that prosecutors had violated discovery rules by failing to disclose a supplemental report related to ammunition evidence in a timely manner. She said the lapse caused unnecessary delays and was highly prejudicial to the defence.

The dismissal was issued with prejudice, meaning Baldwin cannot be retried on that charge.

Ongoing Legal Disputes

Following the collapse of the criminal case, Baldwin filed a lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution against those involved in bringing the charge.

The defendants in that case are seeking to have the suit dismissed, arguing in court filings that they are protected by prosecutorial immunity and that Baldwin has not established a valid legal claim.

Meanwhile, the civil case filed by Svetnoy will now move forward, where a jury will decide whether Baldwin bears legal responsibility for the emotional harm alleged in connection with the fatal shooting.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 18 April 2026