A New Mexico jury found'Rust' armorer convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday in the tragic shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The 26-year-old armorer, however, was acquitted of the tampering-with-evidence charge she faced. The jury deliberated for approximately 2½ hours before delivering the verdict.
Gutierrez-Reed now faces a potential sentence of up to 18 months in state prison. Following the verdict, the presiding judge, Mary Marlowe Sommer, ordered her immediate custody, to be held until the sentencing date, which is yet to be determined.
The trial shed light on the October 2021 incident when actor and co-producer Alec Baldwin unintentionally fired a gun on the set of "Rust," resulting in the death of Hutchins and injuries to director Joel Souza. Earlier this year, an assistant director had pleaded no contest to negligent firearm handling, setting the stage for Gutierrez-Reed's trial.
The armorer was also charged with tampering with evidence, accused of handing a bag of potential narcotics to another crew member after the shooting to evade detection. Despite being found not guilty on this count, Gutierrez-Reed's involuntary manslaughter conviction brings serious legal consequences.
Lead attorney Jason Bowles immediately announced plans to appeal the verdict, expressing Gutierrez-Reed's intention to challenge the conviction, which carries a potential 18-month prison term and a $5,000 fine.
The trial has broader implications as it serves as a precursor to Alec Baldwin's upcoming trial scheduled for July. Baldwin, who was indicted by a grand jury in January on involuntary manslaughter charges, maintains his plea of not guilty.
Prosecutors argued during Gutierrez-Reed's trial that live ammunition remained on the movie set for at least 12 days before the fatal incident, asserting that the armorer had sufficient time to detect and remove it. Kari Morrissey, the prosecutor, emphasized the "constant, never-ending safety failures" on the "Rust" set and accused Gutierrez-Reed of a lack of diligence in gun safety.
Hutchins' family, represented by attorney Gloria Allred, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating that it marked the first step in holding those responsible for Halyna's death accountable. The family looks forward to continued legal proceedings against other individuals involved in the incident.
Despite the conviction, Gutierrez-Reed's defense contended that issues on the set extended beyond her control, pointing to Baldwin's mishandling of weapons and raising concerns about workplace safety.
The trial brought forward numerous witnesses, including FBI experts and on-set personnel, providing insight into the events leading up to the fatal shooting. The defense questioned the relevance of evidence, highlighting the challenges in distinguishing live rounds from dummy ones based on photographs.
On Wednesday, a jury rendered a verdict of involuntary manslaughter for a movie weapons supervisor who was found guilty in connection with the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin during a rehearsal for the Western film "Rust." Baldwin was acting as the subject of the attack.
The verdict against film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed shifted the burden of responsibility for the gunshot death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021, one year after an assistant director pleaded no contest to negligent firearm handling.