Alec Baldwin’s ‘misguided’ interview slammed by 'Rust' gaffer's attorney: 'An attempt to sway public opinion'
Alec Baldwin told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in a televised interview that he did not pull the trigger on a prop gun he was holding when it went off, killing Halyna Hutchins
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The attorney for Serge Svetnoy, the head electrician/gaffer of the movie "Rust," has slammed Alec Baldwin’s "misguided" tell-all.
The actor spoke out in a televised interview Thursday night. He answered questions about the Oct. 21 shooting on the set of his Western film "Rust" where he fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
Svetnoy previously confirmed he was standing next to Hutchins when she was shot and held her as she died on the New Mexico movie set.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There are two ways to fire a gun, pull the trigger or pull the hammer back and drop it, thus Alec Baldwin has conclusively admitted he pointed the gun at Halyna Hutchins and fired the fatal shot," attorney Gary A. Dordick wrote to Fox News on Monday.
ALEC BALDWIN DELETES TWITTER ACCOUNT FOLLOWING TELL-ALL INTERVIEW ABOUT FATAL 'RUST' SHOOTING
This image released by ABC News shows actor-producer Alec Baldwin, left, during an interview with ‘Good Morning America’ co-anchor George Stephanopoulos. The hour-long interview about the fatal shooting on the set of Baldwin's film ‘Rust’ aired on Thursday. (Jeffrey Neira/ABC News via AP)
"His prime-time show appears to have been an attempt to sway public opinion, however, I think it was clear to most who watched the show it was a poorly planned, misguided attempt for sympathy for himself," he shared. "He denied guilt and responsibility and knowledge of the many, many safety problems on the set, even though he was responsible for safety as the producer. He acted as if he were best friends with Halyna Hutchins, yet he only knew her for nine days."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"When I take Mr. Baldwin's deposition in the civil case, I will play this interview on the record and cross-examine him on his statements, line by line, under oath," Dordick revealed. "He did not help his civil case and there remains the possibility of criminal charges. Mr. Baldwin should not have spoken publicly on national television."
Dordick noted that Svetnoy had "no comment personally" about Baldwin’s sit-down. As for the lawsuit, Dordick said there was "nothing new other than we are amending to add some new defendants who supplied the ammunition."
Svetnoy is suing Baldwin, as well as armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, assistant director Dave Halls and many others for "severe emotional distress" in docs previously obtained by Fox News.
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Serge Svetnoy, ‘Rust’ electrician (left), and Halyna Hutchins (right). (Serge Svetnoy)
During a press conference in November, Dordick told reporters that the movie’s producers "were cutting too many corners to save money" and that negligence on set led to the 42-year-old’s death.
Baldwin, who was also a producer on the film, told George Stephanopoulos there was no indication to him that crew members were unhappy with safety conditions on the set, though some resigned over the issue.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I never heard one word about that, none," Baldwin said.
Baldwin said complaints about cost-cutting on the film have been misguided.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Halyna Hutchins has been described as a gifted filmmaker by her peers. (Mat Hayward/Getty Images for AMC Networks)
"Everybody who makes movies has the responsibility not to be reckless and careless with the money that you’re given," he said.
Asked by Stephanopoulos whether the cost-cutting compromised safety, Baldwin said "In my opinion no."
"I personally did not observe any safety or security issues at all in the time I was there," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the interview, Baldwin said it is essential for investigators to find out who put the bullet in the gun he fired, which was supposed to be empty, that killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
ALEC BALDWIN'S FATAL 'RUST' GUNSHOT STILL A 'NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE,' EXPERT SAYS
Director Joel Souza was hospitalized for his injuries, but has since been released. (Jim Spellman/Getty Images)
In a clip from the interview that was released a day earlier, Baldwin said that "I didn’t pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them. Never."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said it was Hutchins herself who asked him to point the gun just off-camera and toward her armpit before it went off. Baldwin said in Hutchins’ direction he pulled the hammer back.
"I let go of the hammer and ‘bang’ the gun goes off," he said.
Baldwin said he was doing the interview to counter public misconceptions about the shooting and to make it clear that "I would go to any lengths to undo what happened."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An aerial view of the film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe County, New Mexico where Halyna Hutchins was killed. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
"I want to make sure that I don’t come across like I’m the victim because we have two victims here," he added.
Investigators have described "some complacency" in how weapons were handled on the "Rust" set. They have said it is too soon to determine whether charges will be filed, amid independent civil lawsuits concerning liability in the fatal shooting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Baldwin said he does not believe he will be criminally charged in the shooting.
"I’ve spoken to the sheriff’s department multiple times," he said. I don’t have anything to hide."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alec Baldwin, seen here before the tragedy, said he feels incredible sadness and regret over the shooting that killed a cinematographer on a New Mexico film set, but not guilt. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)
The incident, he said, left him emotionally ravaged.
"I have dreams about this constantly," he said. "Wake up constantly where guns are going off. These images have come into my mind and kept me awake at night and I haven’t slept for weeks and I’ve really been struggling physically."
Asked by Stephanopoulos if his career is over, Baldwin said, "It could be."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said his next production still wants him, "but I said to myself, ‘do I want to work much more after this?’"
Hutchins is survived by her husband and their son.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.