Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a movie weapons supervisor is on the verge of facing an 18-month prison sentence following Alec Baldwin’s unintentional shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust.”
Movie armorer Gutierrez-Reed’s sentencing is set for Monday in a New Mexico state court. She was convicted in March on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death. She has since been detained at a county jail near Santa Fe.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of “Rust,” was said to have been pointing a gun at Hutchins when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. He pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, asserting that he pulled back the gun’s hammer, but not the trigger, before the gun went off. His trial is scheduled for July, overseen by the same judge who handled Gutierrez-Reed’s case.
Gutierrez-Reed may also receive a $5,000 fine. Prosecutors attributed the incident to her, accusing her of violating fundamental gun safety procedures and of inadvertently carrying live ammunition onto the “Rust” set, where it was clearly forbidden. The jury pondered for almost three hours before reaching a verdict.
Her counsel asked for a lenient sentence, which might include a conditional discharge that would spare her from more jail time and leave an adjudication of guilt off her record if certain conditions are met.
Written testimonials advocating for leniency included statements from Gutierrez-Reed’s friends and romantic partner, emphasising her remorse and the impact of incarceration on her family responsibilities. Friends and former colleagues advocated for the judge to prioritise rehabilitation rather than punitive measures in the sentencing process.
During her trial, Gutierrez-Reed was cleared of all charges related to her tampering with evidence during the “Rust” investigation. She has also entered a not guilty plea to a different felony allegation alleging that she brought a gun into a Santa Fe bar, where it is illegal to carry a firearm.
The defense team has emphasised “the devastating effect a felony will have on her life going forward’, given her relatively young age.
However, special prosecutor Kari Morrissey urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence and designate Gutierrez-Reed as a “serious violent offender” to limit her eligibility for a sentence reduction later, citing Gutierrez-Reed’s recklessness and lack of remorse.
Assistant director and safety coordinator for” Rust” Dave Halls, previously pleaded no contest to negligent firearm handling and completed a six-month unsupervised probation. “Rust” props master Sarah Zachry avoided prosecution through cooperation with prosecutors.
Melissa Enoch
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