Movie Weapons Supervisor Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter in Alec Baldwin Set Shooting
In a shocking turn of events, a jury has found movie weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie “Rust.” The verdict comes after an assistant director pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm last year. Gutierrez-Reed, who also faced a charge of tampering with evidence, was found not guilty on that count.
Immediately after the verdict was announced, the judge ordered Gutierrez-Reed to be placed into custody. Her lead attorney, Jason Bowles, has stated that they will be appealing the conviction, which carries a potential penalty of up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
This conviction assigns new blame in the tragic shooting that took place in October 2021. Actor Alec Baldwin, who was pointing a gun at Hutchins on the movie set, accidentally fired the weapon, resulting in her death and the injury of director Joel Souza. Baldwin himself is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and is set to go on trial in July. He has pleaded not guilty.
During Gutierrez-Reed’s trial, prosecutors argued that she unknowingly brought live ammunition onto the set of “Rust” and failed to remove it, despite having ample time to do so. They described the numerous safety failures on set and accused Gutierrez-Reed of a lack of diligence when it came to gun safety.
Defense attorneys, however, claimed that the issues on set extended beyond Gutierrez-Reed’s control. They pointed to Baldwin’s mishandling of weapons and cited sanctions and findings by state workplace safety investigators. The defense also questioned whether Gutierrez-Reed actually brought live rounds to the set and argued that an ammunition supplier in Albuquerque was never fully investigated.
One of the jurors, Alberto Sanchez, stated that Gutierrez-Reed could have taken a pause to address safety concerns on set. He emphasized that she failed to perform proper safety checks and that had she done so, the tragedy could have been avoided.
The defense also argued that Gutierrez-Reed could not have foreseen Baldwin deviating from the script and pointing the gun at Hutchins. They played a video outtake showing Baldwin firing a revolver loaded with blanks after the director called “cut.” The absence of video recordings of the shooting further supported their argument.
Throughout the trial, numerous witnesses testified, including FBI experts in firearms and crime-scene forensics. The prosecution presented photographic evidence to demonstrate the presence and spread of live rounds on set. They accused Gutierrez-Reed of neglecting safety measures and treating gun protocols as optional. However, the defense questioned the relevance of the photographs, highlighting the difficulty in distinguishing live rounds from dummy ones visually.
Prosecutors claimed that six live rounds found on set shared similar characteristics but did not match those seized from the movie’s supplier in Albuquerque. The defense argued that the supply office was not searched until a month after the shooting, undermining the significance of physical evidence.
This trial has shed light on the complexities and failures that led to the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins. As Gutierrez-Reed awaits sentencing and Baldwin prepares for his own trial, the film industry is left grappling with the need for improved safety measures and accountability on set. The pursuit of justice for Hutchins continues, as her colleagues and loved ones seek to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.
