Armorer in fatal 'Rust' shooting involving Alec Baldwin faces trial
Newsy
Weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is accused of bringing live ammunition onto the film set that was responsible for killing Halyna Hutchins.
Prosecutors in New Mexico want more accountability for the 2021 death of a cinematographer who was fatally shot by actor Alec Baldwin during a rehearsal for the Western film “Rust.”
Before Baldwin's case progresses, the armorer on the set will be tried on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Jury selection in Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's trial starts Wednesday in Santa Fe.
Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains she's not directly to blame for Halyna Hutchins' death. Baldwin also has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in a separate case.
Prosecutors say they'll present evidence that Gutierrez-Reed loaded a live round into the gun that killed Hutchins after unknowingly bringing live ammunition onto a set where it was expressly prohibited. They contend the armorer missed multiple opportunities to ensure safety on the movie set.
The evidence and testimony has implications for Baldwin, who was pointing a gun at Hutchins during an October 2021 rehearsal outside Santa Fe when the gun went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
