- Matthew Hutchins will likely testify in court against Alec Baldwin on February 24
- He backs the charges against the actor despite previously expressing ‘no interest in engaging in recriminations’
- The widower settled a lawsuit against Baldwin last year and became executive producer of ‘Rust’ as part of the deal
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ husband is likely to testify in court after she was shot and killed by Alec Baldwin’s ‘prop’ gun.
Matthew Hutchins has been added to the New Mexico prosecutor’s list of witnesses to testify in the Feb. 24 preliminary hearing against gunsmith Baldwin and Rust Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, documents show.
Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were formally charged last month with manslaughter in connection with Halyna’s death in Western’s low-budget New Mexico set in October 2021.
Prosecutors allege Baldwin pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Hutchins while Gutierrez-Reed failed to ensure it was unloaded.
The widower, who shared a nine-year-old son with Halyna, sued Rust’s production team last year and was named executive director as part of the settlement. He had previously expressed “no interest in indulging in recriminations”.
The long list of witnesses includes director Joel Souza, who was injured by the bullet that went through Halyna, and assistant director David Halls.
Halls is accused of telling Baldwin the gun was “cold” – safe – a charge he has denied. He reached a plea deal with prosecutors in January, which included a six-month suspended sentence and a fine.
PRope worker Seth Kenney, camera assistant Lane Luper, executive producer Gabrielle Pickle and script supervisor Maime Mitchell will also testify.
Mitchell was the first to call 911 after Hutchins was shot. The script supervisor was standing closest to Hutchins when the bullet fired from Baldwin’s pistol.
She previously filed her own lawsuit in 2021 against Baldwin and others on the Western film set. The lawsuit alleges assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and willful infliction of harm. He also indicates that the scene being filmed did not require the firing of a gun.
Meanwhile, Baldwin and Guitierrez-Reed have denied the manslaughter charges with the gunsmith claiming she was “overstretched” on the set of the low-budget film.
Despite the lawsuit settling last year and Matthew saying he wants no more “recriminations”, Halyna’s family said last month they support Alec Baldwin being charged with manslaughter.
The Hutchins family, including Matthew, welcomed the decision through their attorney Brian J Panish who said, “It’s a comfort to the family that in New Mexico no one is above the law.”
Panish added that Hutchins was killed “with a conscious disregard for human life” and said an “independent investigation also supports that charges are warranted”.
Matthew, who called Baldwin a “supporter” in the aftermath of Halyna’s death, said after the settlement was reached: “I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or blaming (the producers or Mr. Baldwin ).”
He added: “We all think Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s latest work. ‘
It is unclear why the Hutchins family now supports the charges against Baldwin.
If found guilty, Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed face a maximum of 18 months in prison if found guilty.