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Alec Baldwin claims that he is not financially liable for the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust last year. Hutchins was killed by a single bullet fired from a revolver being held by Baldwin while rehearsing a scene for the film.
In a court filing, Baldwin provides new information about the accidental shooting.
"[Hutchins ] directed Baldwin to hold the gun higher, to a point where it was directed toward her," the filing said, according to the New York Times. "She was looking carefully at the monitor and then at Baldwin, and then back again, as she gave these instructions. In giving and following these instructions, Hutchins and Baldwin shared a core, vital belief: that the gun was 'cold' and contained no live rounds."
"Baldwin then pulled back the hammer, but not far enough to actually cock the gun," it continued. "When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off."
The filing seeks to deflect the blame from Baldwin, claiming that other people were responsible to ensure that the gun was not loaded. Instead, the court documents lay the blame on the movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who told Baldwin that "it was her job to check the gun — not his."
"An actor cannot rule that a gun is safe," the filing said. "That is the responsibility of other people on the set."
The filing also cites that a clause in Baldwin's contract for the movie prevents him from being held financially liable for any deaths that occur during the filming.
Over the weekend, Baldwin blasted the people who have filed lawsuits against him, claiming they are only targeting him because they want to get big payouts.
"Their attitude is 'Oh, the people who likely seem negligent have no money, and the people who have money are not negligent. But we're not going to let that stop us from doing what we need to do in terms of litigation,'" Baldwin explained during an appearance at the Boulder International Film Festival. "Why sue people if you're not going to get money? That's what you're doing it for."