Rust producers yet to pay settlement money to slain cinematographer's family
Alec Baldwin is both a producer and actor in Rust.
It’s been a year since a US court directed the makers of the ill-fated filmRust to pay compensation to the family of Halyna Hitchins, the cinematographer killed when a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin accidentlly went off.
The gun accident took place in 2021 and the compensation settlement was reached in March 2023.
A court had ordered theproducers of the film to pay the compensation for loss of life to Hitchins' widower and son, but haven’t yet paid up.
Where is the settlement money?
Baldwin, who co-produced the film,and the other producers had announced a settlement after the Hitchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in October 2022.
It was decided in March 2023 that once Rust wrapped up, the producers will collectively make payments to the Hutchins estate, including insurance funds and a portion of the profits.
Rust Movie Productions LLC was supposed to make the full guaranteed payments by June 13, 2023, according to a February 7 filing from the estate’s attorneys. But it hasn’t happened.
Since the money hasn’t come in, the Hutchins family estate is now considering resuming the wrongful death lawsuit or filing a new one.
There is no information on why there is a delay in the payments.
Production for Rust resumed last April at a film ranch in Montana, several months behind schedule. It finished production in May.
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As for criminal proceedings, Baldwin is scheduled to face a criminal trial in July on a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
The film’s armourer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was convicted last week of the same charge, and faces up to 18 months in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for April.
In addition to the ones accusing Baldwin, there have been several lawsuits and countersuits involving Gutierrez Reed, Hutchins’ relatives, crew members, the production company, insurance companies, and the Bonanza Creek Ranch, where the incident took place.
(With inputs from agencies)
