Guilty.
Two years after the horrific accident on the set of Rust, where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a loaded prop gun while filming, rookie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been on trial for her role in the fatal accident.
While Baldwin insisted that he did not pull the trigger and that the prop was tampered with prior to the accident, the actor is also being charged with involuntary manslaughter and will face trial in July. While ballistic reports show that Baldwin likely pulled the trigger, he remains steadfast in his position that he is innocent.
For her part, Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer responsible for maintaining and delivering the weapons on set, pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
Evidence from the courtroom, however, raised concern for the overall safety of the film set. Behind the scenes video footage from set showing Baldwin shooting blanks with the prop gun days before the fatal incident, even shooting after someone yells “cut.” He was also seen pointing the gun all over the place, and even directly at the camera while he barks out orders on set.
The state also introduced evidence that Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for the live round being on the set in the first place, while her defense team attempted to place the blame on the ammunition supplier and the conditions created by Baldwin, who was not only the lead actor but the producer of the film.
But apparently the jury didn’t buy it.
After deliberating for only two hours, the New Mexico jury found Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter following the nearly two-week trial. She was found not guilty of the lesser charge, tampering with evidence, after being accused of disposing of cocaine after the shooting.
The judge ordered the armorer taken into custody immediately, and she was escorted from the courtroom by deputies following the verdict.
Sentencing will take place at a later date, but the rookie armorer and daughter of film industry veteran Thell Reed is facing three years behind bars for the shooting.
Meanwhile, Baldwin’s trial is scheduled for July, where the actor facing the same charge. During Gutierrez-Reed’s trial, prosecutors called the actor a “prima donna” and said Baldwin’s responsibility would be decided by a jury at a later date:
“Alec Baldwin’s conduct and his lack of gun safety inside that church on that day is something he’s going to have to answer for.
Not with you, and not today. That’ll be for another jury on another day.”
But in the meantime, we know at least one person will be serving time over the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins.
