Actor Alec Baldwin could face a civil trial over a 2021 shooting on the set of the film Rust, after a judge ruled a lawsuit could go to trial.
The lawsuit, filed by Serge Svetnoy, the film's lighting technician, alleges Baldwin was negligent leading up to the shooting.
During a rehearsal in New Mexico, Baldwin's prop gun fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has denied pulling the trigger, and a criminal case against him was dismissed in 2024.
Svetnoy claims a bullet narrowly missed him and accuses Baldwin and the film's production team of violating gun safety protocols.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter approved Svetnoy's claims of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, while dismissing a claim of assault, as per court documents released.
If a settlement is not reached, a civil trial date has been set for October 12.
Baldwin and the movie's producers had previously settled a lawsuit with Hutchins' family, while a New Mexico judge threw out the criminal case against Baldwin in 2024 due to the withholding of evidence by police.
Police and prosecutors allegedly concealed evidence, including a batch of bullets that might have been linked to the shooting, which Baldwin's lawyers argued should have been disclosed.
Prosecutors contended that the ammunition was unrelated to the incident and did not match bullets found on set, but the judge ruled that all evidence must be shared with the defense.
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed, meaning it cannot be revived once any appeals are exhausted.
Meanwhile, the film's armourer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2024.
