Alec Baldwin Hit With New Rust ‘Countersuit’ From Embattled Assistant Director

The assistant director of Rust, Dave Halls, has fired back at Alec Baldwin and other members of the film crew with a new countersuit tied to the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Halls, as The Hollywood Reporter notes, filed his countersuit in Los Angeles Superior Court last week, essentially seeking to protect himself from any legal issues tied to the shooting. His complaint cites an agreement that allegedly says he should be indemnified and have his legal costs covered over any incidents during production causing personal injury, death, or damage. 

Halls’ countersuit is part of an ever-expanding web of lawsuits that have sprung up in the aftermath of the Rust shooting, which left Hutchins dead and director Joel Souza injured. This particular legal lineage goes back to script supervisor Mamie Mitchell’s 2021 lawsuit, which named Baldwin and 22 other people — from producers and financiers to crew members, including Halls — and alleged they failed to follow adequate safety protocols on the problem-plagued set. 

Mitchell, who claimed she was standing next to Hutchins, just four feet from Baldwin, when the shooting occurred, also accused Baldwin of assault and faulted the actor for not checking his prop weapon himself. 

Back in November, Baldwin filed a countersuit of his own against Mitchell and some of the same people she sued, including armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed who was in charge of the guns and ammunition on the set; Halls, who handed the gun to Baldwin and allegedly declared it safe; armorer assistant Seth Kenney and the prop weapon and ammunition supply store Kenney owns (purportedly the primary supplier of the guns and ammunition used on the set); as well as prop master Sarah Zachry. Baldwin claimed negligence, and the actor is seeking to share any damages Mitchell may receive from those in his cross-complaint and also wants them to pay any damages levied against him, among other relief. All have previously denied responsibility for the shooting.

Halls, meanwhile, is seeking protection if Mitchell wins her lawsuit. If the script supervisor does prevail, Halls says Baldwin, Gutierrez-Reed, Zachry, and Keeney should be held liable and that he should receive compensation.  

Lawyers for Halls and Baldwin did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s requests for comment. A lawyer for Mitchell declined to comment.

Halls has faced heavy criticisms and accusations in connection to the shooting since he allegedly handed the gun to Baldwin and declared it was a “cold gun,” meaning a firearm without live rounds. Additionally, in the audio of the 911 call Mitchell made right after the shooting, she immediately directed blame for the shooting at Halls. After the shooting, saying he was “supposed to check the guns.” After the shooting, it also emerged that Halls was fired from a movie set in 2019 over what producers characterized as the negligent discharge of a firearm. 

From Rolling Stone US.