Halyna Hutchins’ Estate Moving Closer To Potential Wrongful Death Suit Against Alec Baldwin And ‘Rust’ Movie

The police investigation into Alec Baldwin’s fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust last fall is ongoing, but the family of the cinematographer is moving closer to a big move of its own.

A New Mexico lawyer this week petitioned a state court to be the personal representative of the estate of Halyna Hutchins, a procedural requirement in pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit in the case of the Rust cinematographer who was killed in October in on-set shooting of a prop gun being held by Baldwin, the film’s star and producer.

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The petition, sent Wednesday by Santa Fe attorney Kristina Martinez to the 1st Judicial District Court of Santa Fe County, was filed “solely for the purpose of investigating and pursuing a lawsuit under the New Mexico Wrongful Death Act in the courts of New Mexico.”

The letter (read it here) said Hutchins’ two “surviving immediate family members,” husband Matthew Hutchins and their son Aldous Hutchins, both support the petition, which said that “any proceeds from a wrongful death case will be distributed pursuant to the personal representative’s fiduciary duty in accordance with the Wrongful Death Act.”

New Mexico law provides a three-year window for filing a wrongful death action.

In November, Matthew Hutchins hired Los Angeles-based law firm Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi, which specializes in personal injury and wrongful death litigation.

Halyna Hutchins was shot by a prop gun discharged by Baldwin on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set of Rust on October 21 outside Santa Fe. Director Joel Souza was also hit in the incident. Several investigations are ongoing, but no criminal charges have been filed.

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