Given the maximum.
Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer from the set of Alec Balwdin’s film Rust, was sentenced today.
Two years after the tragic 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 was on trial earlier this year for her role in the incident. While Baldwin is still awaiting trial which has been pushed to July, Gutierrez’s trial has concluded today as she was sentenced.
Leading up to her trial, Baldwin remains stern on the position that he did not fire a gun at Hutchins. Although behind-the-scenes footage shows him swinging the gun around, pointing the barrel towards a crowd after “cut” was yelled out. As for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s part in the horrific event, it includes not enforcing proper gun safety as the armorer and being responsible for maintaining and delivering the weapons on set. Although she pleaded not guilty to her charge of involuntary manslaughter, the jury did not agree.
Today, the 26-year-old was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for her role in the death of Halyna Hutchins. Given it was her first crime, prosecutor Kari Morrissey was not sure if justice for Hutchins would be served. However, after reviewing Gutierrez’s jail calls, the armorer refused to take any accountability along with calling the jury a handful of colorful names.
“I wasn’t sure exactly what recommendation would be appropriate in this unprecedented case until last week when I completed the review of Ms. Gutierrez’s jail calls.
It was my sincere hope during this process that there would be some moment when Ms. Gutierrez took responsibility and expressed some level of remorse that was genuine. That moment has never come. Ms. Gutierrez continues to refuse to take responsibility for her role in the death of Halyna Hutchins.”
The New York Post reported.
Prior to receiving her sentence, there was a handful of victim impact statements made. Hutchin’s mother made a video for the court, sobbing through its entirety.
“The day of her death ruined my entire life. It’s heart-wrenching to see her child grow without his mother. On the night (Hutchin’s husband) Matt (called), I was screaming and kept pleading with him. Time does not heal. It is two and a half years past and it gets worse and worse.”
A close friend of Hutchin’s husband, Matt, gave a statement on his behalf, noting how hard the loss of his wife and partner has been.
“Matt has been affected horribly by this and he moved away. Basically Matt died when Halyna died… The loss of Halyna has had the ripple effect on our community… her death is a reminder of the fragility of life and left us shaken and sad. There is really no excuse.”
Lastly, a close friend of Halyna Hutchins, Emilia Mendieta, also made a statement, noting Hannah Gutierrez’s carelessness, which resulted in this tragic outcome.
“The last four words she ever said to me [were] ‘I believe in you.’ Those four words will forever echo in my soul. Halyna’s death is the result of a massive system failure…it all boils down to a very simple question.
Why was there a live bullet on set? … That is where Hannah Gutierrez-Reed failed Halyna. It was her job to check the gun, check the bullets, to ensure that Halyna was safe.”
While Gutierrez has received maximum time for her charge, her lawyer thinks that the last two years of this being in the public eye was punishment enough for the actions that led to the death of Hutchins.
“Ms. Gutierrez Reed has endured and will continue to endure collateral consequences far harsher than most defendants ever must face.”
He also claimed that Gutierrez was a scapegoat for Baldwin’s actions. Time will only tell, and the public will see what jurors think of Baldwin as he prepares to fight his charges starting on July 10th.
