Alec Baldwin’s lawyers have asked the court not to litigate over the fatal gunshots during the shooting of the movie Rust . The lawyers do this because they believe it is an industrial accident, Variety reports .
The lawyers have advanced a legal argument for the first time since the October 21 incident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
The Santa Fe County Police Department in the US state of New Mexico is still investigating the case, but no charges have been filed yet. However, a lawsuit was filed on November 17 by screenwriter Mamie Mitchell.
Her charges are against Baldwin and other producers and crew members. Mitchell was standing a few feet from Baldwin when he fired the gun and called 911. She complains of pain, tinnitus and emotional damage.
Baldwin’s lawyers believe that compensation should be paid through the state’s work-related injury scheme, which covers accidents at work. They believe that Mitchell’s claim is based on negligence.
Mitchell argues that Baldwin should have double-checked the gun and believes that cutbacks by the producers have led to unsafe conditions. Baldwin’s attorneys argue that Mitchell cannot identify any intentional act that led to the shooting.