Alec Baldwin is set to appear in court again following the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins. The 42-year-old cinematographer and mother died on the set of Baldwin’s film “Rust” in 2021 when a live round was mistakenly fired from a prop revolver used by Baldwin, who is 68 years old.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Baldwin and first assistant director David Halls were unaware that the gun contained live ammunition.

On January 31, 2023, the district attorney charged Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter. Halls agreed to plead guilty to the negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Baldwin pleaded not guilty on February 23, 2023, and it was later revealed on April 20 that the prosecutors were dropping the charges against him.

However, a Los Angeles judge ruled on April 17 that a lawsuit filed by Rust crew member Serge Svetnoy against Baldwin will proceed. The lawsuit aims to determine if Baldwin negligently discharged a loaded revolver on the film set in New Mexico, resulting in the tragic incident.

Svetnoy is suing both Baldwin and the production company for emotional distress caused by the alleged negligence on set. The lawsuit follows the dismissal of manslaughter charges last October due to alleged evidence withholding by prosecutors.

The legal proceedings come after crew members raised safety concerns and incidents of accidental prop gun discharges before the fatal shooting. Baldwin has maintained that he was unaware of the live rounds in the gun and denied pulling the trigger, leading to the unfortunate outcome that also injured the film’s director, Joel Souza.

In response to the court’s decision, Svetnoy’s attorney, John M. Upton, expressed satisfaction and readiness for the upcoming jury trial scheduled for October this year. The case will provide Svetnoy the opportunity to present his claims in court after a prolonged legal process.

Baldwin’s representative has been contacted for comments regarding the ongoing legal developments.