US judge approves Rust assistant director’s plea deal over fatal shooting

Dave Halls given six-month suspended sentence after pleading no contest to gun charge as part of agreement with prosecutors

A Santa Fe judge on Friday accepted a plea deal, bringing the first conviction for the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the western movie Rust in New Mexico.

Dave Halls, first assistant director on Rust, pleaded no contest as part of an agreement with prosecutors to the misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon for his role in Hutchins' death.