Alec Baldwin Is Involved In A $25 Million Lawsuit, And This One Is Not Rust Related

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Alec Baldwin’s name has continued to make headlines over the last couple of months as investigations continue into the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western film Rust. Lawsuits have been filed by more than one party and as the man who held the gun, as well as a producer on the film, Alec Baldwin will likely have his hands full legally speaking. But now Baldwin has been named in a new lawsuit worth $25 million that has nothing to do with a death on a movie set, and is instead focused on social media comments surrounding the Capitol Riots in 2021.

Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum was a U.S. Marine who died in one of the suicide bombings at the Kabul, Afghanistan airport last August. Alec Baldwin apparently sent his widow some money as a tribute to the fallen soldier, but now that widow, Jiennah McCollum, and the soldier’s two sisters, have filed a $25 million defamation lawsuit against Baldwin after he allegedly called the family insurrectionists.

The issue goes back to January 3 of this year, when one of the fallen soldier’s sisters, Roice McCollum, posted a “throwback” picture to Instagram which showed her in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol riot. Baldwin publicly responded to the picture on Instagram, referencing the money he had given, Insider reports that the lawsuit claims that Baldwin then privately messaged the woman where he accused her of being an “insurrectionist.”

According to the suit, Baldwin then posted to his own Instagram account bringing attention to the photo, resulting in Baldwin’s followers flooding the post with “hostile, aggressive, hateful messages.” The lawsuit states Roice McCollum attended the January 6 event in a “peaceful, law-abiding manner” and she apparently told Alec Baldwin in response to his private messages that she had already spoken with the FBI.

Needless to say, the events in Washington D.C on January 6, 2021 have resulted in a flurry of criminal charges and we certainly haven’t seen the last of that. The events are still incredibly contentious, so it’s little surprise we’re seeing the events result in civil litigation as well.

Alec Baldwin shares spiritual message about ‘silence’ after turning over his cellphone to investigators

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Alec Baldwin shared a very faith-based post with his followers days after turning in his cellphone to authorities as he continues to seek guidance from spiritual leaders.

The actor, 63, took to Instagram early on Wednesday where he shared an image of light in his bathroom reflecting on the marble counter as a rainbow. He captioned the post with a lengthy musing on the nature of quiet in an otherwise “noisy” world.

“My favorite part of the day is early in the morning when I get up before anyone else and the house is totally silent. I spend that time with God, and I find that the silence strengthens me and helps me get focused for the day. I spend some time just sitting and enjoying it,” he wrote.

ALEC BALDWIN’S CELL PHONE REQUESTED BY NEW SEARCH WARRANT IN ‘RUST’ SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

He continued: “Our world today is very noisy, busy, and at times very stressful. When you feel stressed or frustrated, go somewhere that is silent and just enjoy if for a few minutes; I believe you will find that your soul begins to calm down. Inner peace and quiet are vital for hearing from God or sensing the direction He wants us to take.”

The actor then told his followers that “outer silence” is a good way for people to “hear the still, small voice of God.” Baldwin has been gravitating toward spirituality in recent weeks following his involvement in the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin was holding a revolved on the set of the indie-Western film “Rust” when the gun somehow discharged a live round that killed the cinematographer and wounded director Joel Souza.

ALEC BALDWIN DENIES REQUESTING LARGER GUN BEFORE FATAL ‘RUST’ SHOOTING

He previously said in an Instagram post that he has been actively speaking with various spiritual and philosophical leaders who he says have been helping him purge negative thinking from his life, which he named as his 2022 New Year’s resolution.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the on-set incident continues. The latest development came last week when Fox New Digital confirmed that Baldwin had handed over his cellphone to Suffolk County authorities as part of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation into whether there are any criminal charges that should be filed.

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“Alec voluntarily provided his phone to the authorities this morning so they can finish their investigation,” Baldwin’s civil attorney, Aaron Dyer, told Fox News Digital.

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“But this matter isn’t about his phone, and there are no answers on his phone. Alec did nothing wrong. It is clear that he was told it was a cold gun and was following instructions when this tragic accident occurred. The real question that needs to be answered is how live rounds got on the set in the first place.”

Alec Baldwin takes his children to New York’s Museum of Natural History

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Alec Baldwin was seen taking his children to the Museum of Natural History in New York on Tuesday - only to discover it was closed.

The actor, 63, who is currently under investigation after shooting and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust in October, was joined by his sons Rafael, six, and Leonardo, five, for the outing before it was cut short.

Alec cut a casual figure in a navy blue padded jacket and jeans as he joined his sons for a trip into the city, after it was revealed on Friday he had finally handed over his phone to police to aid in their investigation.

Disappointing: Alec Baldwin was seen taking his children to the Museum of Natural History in New York on Tuesday - only to discover it was closed

Alec sported a burgundy face mask as he accompanied his sons to the Museum, unaware it is only open from Wednesday to Sunday.

The 30 Rock star shares six children with his wife Hilaria - Carmen, eight, Rafael, six, Leonardo, five, Romeo, three, Eduardo, one, and Lucia, 10 months.

On Friday, Alec’s lawyer Aaron Dyer confirmed his cell phone had been handed over to authorities in Suffolk County, New York, close to where he lives.

Low-key: The actor, was joined by his sons Rafael, six, and Leonardo, five, for the outing before it was cut short

It is being sought by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and his investigators probing the death of Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the set of Baldwin’s western Rust in Bonanza City, New Mexico, on October 21 last year.

Suffolk County cops have been coordinating with their colleagues in Santa Fe, with the device now set to be passed to them imminently.

Dyer told Deadline: ‘Alec voluntarily provided his phone to the authorities this morning so they can finish their investigation.

‘But this matter isn’t about his phone, and there are no answers on his phone. Alec did nothing wrong.’

He continued: ‘It is clear that he was told it was a cold gun, and was following instructions when this tragic accident occurred.

‘The real question that needs to be answered is how live rounds got on the set in the first place.’

Drama: On Friday, Alec’s lawyer Aaron Dyer confirmed his cell phone had been handed over to authorities in Suffolk County, New York, close to where he lives

Baldwin has not been charged with any crime, and denies wrongdoing. Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department first issued a warrant for the phone on December 16.

District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said investigators probing the tragedy wanted to ‘obtain any materials’ from Baldwin’s phone that could uncover what led to the shooting.

Hutchins was a married mother of one. Director Joel Souza, 48, was also shot during the accident, but recovered from his injuries.

During a tear-stained interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in December, Baldwin said the shooting happened when he was working with Hutchins on how to position a gun for a scene they were about to shoot.

He said he pulled back the hammer and released it, prompting the gun to fire. Production of the western was canned after the shooting, with allegations of cost-cutting and poor safety practices made against its crew.

Speaking on ABC News, Baldwin said: ‘The best way, the only way, we can honor the death of Halyna Hutchins is to find out the truth.

‘That’s what I’m working toward, insisting on, demanding that the organizations involved in this investigation do everything in their power, everything in their power, to find out what really happened. That’s all that matters.’

Official: Alec Baldwin surrenders phone for shooting probe

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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Alec Baldwin has surrendered his cellphone to authorities as part of the investigation into a fatal shooting on a New Mexico film set last fall, a law enforcement official said.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Juan Rios said Baldwin’s phone was turned over Friday to law enforcement officials in Suffolk County, New York, who will gather the information from the phone and provide it to Santa Fe County investigators, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

Sheriff’s office investigators in December obtained a search warrant for the phone’s contents in their investigation into the Oct. 21 shooting on the “Rust” film set at Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe.

Baldwin was an actor and co-producer, and the search warrant for his phone sought text messages, images, videos, calls or any other information related to the movie.

Authorities have said Baldwin’s prop revolver discharged a live round during a rehearsal, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin’s lawyer, Aaron Dyer, said his client had been cooperating with authorities throughout the course of the investigation, and the delay in providing information from the phone was no indication otherwise.

“Alec voluntarily provided his phone to the authorities this morning so they can finish their investigation,” Dyer said Friday in a statement. “But this matter isn’t about his phone, and there are no answers on his phone.”

Baldwin, who has denied any wrongdoing in the shooting, and said in an Instagram message on Jan. 8 that New Mexico needed to go through New York law enforcement and that the process of specifying exactly what is needed took time.

“They can’t just go through your phone and take your photos, or your love letters to your wife, or what have you,” he said.

Baldwin has said he didn’t know the gun he was holding contained a live round when it went off. Investigators are trying to find the source of the live round.

No charges have been filed in the shooting.

This story has been corrected to show that the fatal shooting occurred on Oct. 21, not Oct. 11.

The angst and anguish of Alec Baldwin

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In August, actor Alec Baldwin came to the lawn of our church in Orient. He held the inaugural conversation in our series called “Spirituality in the light of …” His topic was “Spirituality in the light of COVID.”

Baldwin hit a kind of lecture-circuit home run that evening. The roughly 100 people who came for the celebrity appeal left with a new friend. Baldwin could easily have behaved badly in this Norman Rockwell scene. He did just the opposite. He knew nothing of sarcasm or condescension. Instead, he seemed like a regular guy who had come to do a friend (me) a favor and talk about how he sees God and faith in the COVID-19 mess.

I was the new pastor at the Orient Congregational Church and had known Baldwin in Greenwich Village, where I was also a pastor at Judson Memorial Church, where we met.

On Oct. 21, two months after his talk in Orient, Baldwin accidentally fatally shot a cinematographer on the set of the movie “Rust.”

Baldwin, that day, again moved out of the role of complex celebrity and into the role of human. Yes, the police think he has an anger management problem. Yes, the paparazzi attack his wife for her name. Yes, he impersonated the former president on Saturday Night Live. And yes, he played a famous buffoon from high up in Rockefeller Center. He has an edge. And when that terrible accident happened, he could only say, I’m so sorry.

If we ever do get to the bottom of what happened, that will be great. There are many theories that have led to much speculation. The truth is better than conjectures. Even if he is not charged, he will have to deal with the death of the cinematographer for the rest of his life. How does anyone do that, much less do it while being observed as a celebrity?

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I don’t write to defend my friend — who doesn’t need to be protected. Nor do I write to accuse him. I write to understand what you do after something like that happens to you. How do you talk to your children about it? I write to understand spirituality in the light of accidental death. I write to understand how much pity celebrities dare have and how much they are to be given. Whose story is this? The one killed or the killer?

An old friend ran over his 2-year-old child. The child died. He has never forgotten, nor have I. He is not a celebrity.

Baldwin belongs to that group of people who get to live through and off their celebrity. It is a blessing and a burden. Maybe I will invite him over again to speak about this struggle.

Lots of celebrities join ordinary people in having crosses to bear. Maybe Baldwin will get out of the kitchen because he can’t stand the heat. Maybe he will teach us a lesson in how to bear burdens.

I pray that he will use his angst to turn his trouble into art. The shame-and-blame culture doesn’t think very well spiritually or artistically. We think if we can just find out who shot the bullet, or who is to blame, then we will have solved the problem, whatever it is. That kind of thinking makes for bad art as well as bad politics.

And we don’t need any more of either.

This guest essay reflects the views of Rev. Donna Schaper, the pastor at the Orient Congregational Church.