Alec Baldwin’s legal troubles are far from over.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled that a civil lawsuit filed by Rust crew member Serge Svetnoy can proceed to trial.
It keeps the actor entangled in fallout nearly five years after the fatal on set shooting.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October 2021 when a Colt .45 revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with discharged during a cross-draw maneuver.
Svetnoy, the film’s gaffer, was standing just feet away and later described being “squarely in the zone of danger” as he rushed to Hutchins’ side.
His lawsuit argues Baldwin “recklessly disregarded the probability” of harm by pointing the weapon with his finger on the trigger.
The judge’s ruling noted that “a reasonable jury could find” Baldwin’s actions caused emotional distress, allowing the case to move forward.
Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed with prejudice in July 2024, but the civil claims remain unresolved.
Svetnoy first sued Baldwin in 2021, stressing that “there was no reason for a live bullet to be placed in that revolver” and that its presence posed “a lethal threat to everyone in its vicinity.”
He maintains Baldwin was not supposed to fire the gun in the scene being rehearsed.
Beyond the courtroom, Baldwin has admitted the tragedy reshaped his life and career.
In interviews, he confessed he “doesn’t want to work anymore” after spending time at home with his children in the aftermath of Hutchins’ death.
While he has consistently denied pulling the trigger, the looming civil trial ensures Baldwin remains under intense scrutiny as he weighs retirement from the industry.
