An worker who said he got here for equipment walks towards security guards at the doorway to the Bonanza Creek Ranch, set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021.
Jae C. Hong | AP
The producers of Rust, starring Alec Baldwin, announced Friday that they might pay a reduced effective of $100,000 to the New Mexico Occupational Safety and Health Bureau, settling a civil investigation into the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in a shooting on a movie set.
The final penalty was reduced from the unique effective of $136,793 issued in April last 12 months. The state agency also downgraded the case from probably the most serious classification, “intentionally-serious,” to “serious.” The settlement will probably be finalized 20 days after its submission.
“Our priority has all the time been to restart production and complete this film so we will honor Halyna Hutchins’ life and work,” Melina Spadone, a lawyer representing Rust production company, said in an announcement. “Resolving this case, quite than going to court, is the way in which we will best move forward to realize this goal.”
The producers plan to proceed filming “Rust” this spring, and have also announced that production on a documentary about Hutchins will begin.
New Mexico authorities conducted a series of witness statements in this case and published the report in April, claiming that the film’s producers “didn’t follow” industry firearm safety standards.
The evidence gathered in the investigation was utilized by the defendants in other cases related to the shooting and to “correct misinformation” in the media, based on Friday’s statement.
The announcement comes a day after Baldwin, who held the gun that killed Hutchins, pleaded not guilty and dropped out of his first court appearance, which was attributable to happen on Friday. Along with his role in the film, Baldwin is also a producer.
Baldwin and the film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed face manslaughter charges in an ongoing criminal case. Gutierrez-Reed first appeared in court on Friday. Baldwin is also facing a civil lawsuit filed by Hutchins’ parents and sister.