Armorer Convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Film Set Shooting
In a tragic turn of events, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer on the ill-fated Western film “Rust,” has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of the film’s cinematographer. The verdict was reached after less than three hours of deliberations, following two weeks of testimony about safety lapses on set.
Gutierrez Reed, who was acquitted of tampering with evidence, now faces up to 18 months in prison at her sentencing in April. The judge ordered her remanded into custody, and as her attorney comforted her, she was led away by bailiffs.
Outside the courthouse, one of the jurors, Alberto Sanchez, expressed the jury’s belief that the verdict was fair. “Someone died,” he said. “You gotta take responsibility. Especially when you’re handling weapons and you’re in charge of those. That’s your job.”
This trial marked the first in relation to the tragic shooting that occurred on October 21, 2021, on the film set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is worth noting that Alec Baldwin, the film’s star, is set to face his own manslaughter trial in July. The first assistant director, Dave Halls, previously took a plea deal and served six months of unsupervised probation for negligent handling of a gun.
Gutierrez Reed’s role in the incident involved loading a live bullet into Baldwin’s pistol, which should have contained only dummy rounds. The gun fired unexpectedly, resulting in the death of Halyna Hutchins, the film’s cinematographer, and serious injuries to director Joel Souza.
One aspect that has drawn attention is Gutierrez Reed’s connection to her father, Thell Reed, a legendary film armorer known for his work on movies such as “Tombstone” and “L.A. Confidential.” Thell Reed was present in the courtroom during the verdict but was not called to testify.
The trial has also attracted the attention of Rachel Mason, a friend of Hutchins’ who is directing and producing a documentary about her life titled “Halyna.” Mason expressed her ongoing grief and mourning over the loss of her friend, stating, “Hannah going to jail will not change that.”
To secure the conviction for involuntary manslaughter, the jury had to agree that Gutierrez Reed acted with “willful disregard for the safety of others” and that the death was a “foreseeable” consequence of her actions. The jurors sought clarification on what might constitute an “intervening event” that could break the foreseeable chain of events, but the judge refrained from providing further explanation beyond what was contained in the jury instructions.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Kari Morrissey emphasized Gutierrez Reed’s failure to adhere to industry safety practices, arguing that she was responsible for bringing the live rounds to set and not properly testing them. This argument resonated with the jury, as Sanchez stated, “She could have paused work, stopped, and cleared it all up, and just never did. That was her job to check those rounds – those firearms.”
In contrast, defense attorney Jason Bowles placed blame on management and the weapons supplier, Seth Kenney, arguing that they failed to give Gutierrez Reed adequate time to perform her job. Bowles expressed disappointment with the verdict and plans to appeal, stating, “The evidence wasn’t sufficient to convict. It was a lot of guesswork, a lot of speculation.”
The elected district attorney in Santa Fe, Mary Carmack-Altwies, expressed gratitude toward the jury and the appointed special prosecutors, Morrissey and Jason Lewis, for their efforts in seeking justice for Hutchins’ family and friends. Carmack-Altwies emphasized that this tragic incident was entirely preventable and that the exhaustive investigative efforts played a pivotal role in the successful prosecution of Gutierrez Reed.
Gloria Allred, who is representing Hutchins’ family in a separate lawsuit against Baldwin and the “Rust” producers, expressed satisfaction with the verdict but stressed the importance of holding everyone responsible accountable for their actions.
While this trial marks a significant step in the criminal justice process, it is clear that the repercussions of this tragedy extend far beyond the courtroom. The loss of Halyna Hutchins continues to be deeply felt, and the film industry as a whole is grappling with the urgent need for improved safety measures on set. As the legal proceedings continue, it remains essential to prioritize safety and ensure that such a devastating incident is never repeated.
