Alec Baldwin Claims Halyna Hutchins Instructed Him to Point Gun Toward Her and Pull Back the Hammer

In newly filed court documents, Alec Baldwin claims that others on the Rust set should be held liable for the shooting death of the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

The documents filed on Friday offer the most detailed account yet of what transpired according to Baldwin.

In an Attempt to Avoid Liability, Alec Baldwin Said ‘An Actor Cannot Rule That a Gun Is Safe.’

Baldwin filed a demand for arbitration against the film’s other producers in order to avoid liability as he faces a mounting number of lawsuits. According to the filing, he said “an actor cannot rule that a gun is safe.”

“That is the responsibility of other people on the set,” the filing also claims.

Working under the assumption that the gun was intended as a prop with no live rounds, Baldwin also alleges that Hutchins instructed him to point the gun toward her as she was setting up a shot for the film.

The filing states that Baldwin “pulled the gun out slowly, without issue, and held it still before Hutchins began giving any directions to him. Hutchins described what she would like Baldwin to do with the placement of the gun, which contained only ‘dummy rounds,’ as far as everyone was told.”

“She directed Baldwin to hold the gun higher, to a point where it was directed toward her,” the filing also said. “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.”

According to Baldwin’s account, he asked Hutchins if she would like him to pull back the hammer on the gun. The actor said that she told him to do so and he did as instructed and pulled back the hammer “but not far enough to actually cock the gun.”

“When Baldwin let go of the hammer, the gun went off,” the filing also states.

Despite also being a producer on Rust, Baldwin is arguing that his contract should shield him from financial responsibility in Hutchins’ death and that his legal fees be covered. As Mamas Uncut previously reported, the Hutchins family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin in February.

RELATED: New Suit Filed by Matthew Hutchins Claims Alec Baldwin ‘Recklessly Shot’ Halyna

“Someone is culpable for chambering the live round that led to this horrific tragedy, and it is someone other than Baldwin,” the claim further states. “This is a rare instance when the system broke down, and someone should be held legally culpable for the tragic consequences. That person is not Alec Baldwin.”

The filing also attempts to situate Baldwin’s role as a producer. It claims that he had no control over the hiring of employees for the production or how money was allocated for the project.

Another window into the tragedy came in the form of text messages between Baldwin and Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins. The messages were included in the filing and they appear to show sympathetic exchanges immediately following the fatal event. That changed over time as the relationship fell apart.

Hutchins wrote to Baldwin on October 22, 2021: “Thank you for speaking earlier and I think it is very gracious of you to offer your help.”

“Enjoy your time with your kids. I just want to check in with you about the [ABC] interview. Haven’t seen the interview but [I am] aware of it. But please just focus on them and we can talk sometime,” Hutchins replied.

In December, Baldwin sent a message to Hutchins explaining that he had been advised not to contact him.

The latest filing from Baldwin offered the most detailed account that he has shared so far. We hope these court proceedings continue to further shed light on just what transpired on the set of Rust.