Hannah Gutierrez-Reed: Gunman in ‘Rust case’ sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter of Halina Hutchins | Culture

On March 7, a New Mexico jury announced that Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who worked as a gunsmith during the shooting of the film, was found guilty. War, starring Alec Baldwin, in which director of photography Halina Hutchins died, he was found guilty of murder. However, it was that Monday, six weeks later, that Gutierrez Reed’s sentence was revealed: he would spend 18 months in prison. That’s the maximum applicable fine, the same penalty that Baldwin will face at his trial next July.

The trial began in February and at the hearing prosecutors argued that 26-year-old Hannah Gutierrez Reed (24 when the events occurred) was negligent in her work. He told that the girl is the daughter of a famous arms consultant in the film industry, but she was very inexperienced at that time. She was the one who handled both the weapons and the ammunition, and so prosecutors claimed she was responsible for the fact that during filming, in October 2021, the gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin contained a real bullet And he struck Hutchins, who died shortly afterward.

After learning the results of the deliberations on March 7, Gutierrez Reed was sent to jail by Judge Mary Marlow Sommer in the case, and this Monday she went to the Santa Fe court to hear the verdict (she did not testify in her own defense. ) ) and also read a statement in which he said: “First and foremost, I am heartbroken for the family and friends of the Hutchins family, and have been since the day of the tragedy.” He also assured: “I understand that he died too early, and I pray that everyone rests in peace.” She herself has said through tears that she was “young and inexperienced” to accept that job, but despite everything she tried to take it as seriously as she knew how.

He has also said that he is saddened by the way “this painful tragedy” has been sensationalized and in which he has been portrayed as an “absolute monster”: “Despite not having the time, resources and staff “I did everything I could to handle the situation when things got difficult,” he said in his written statement. “The jury found me partially guilty of this terrible tragedy, but it doesn’t make me a monster. , but also makes a human being.” Her lawyers will appeal, as they assure that she “suffered far more severe consequences than most defendants.”

Attorneys for Halina Hutchins’ family, notables Gloria Allred and John Carpenter, have said the family is “satisfied” with the outcome. “We hope that justice will continue to ensure that all others responsible for Halina’s death face the legal consequences of their actions,” he said.

For her part, the prosecutor, Kari T. Morrissey, has assured that every time there were shots with counterfeit bullets, “it was Russian roulette”, in the context of the danger of authentic weapons material being found with counterfeit bullets. On the day of filming, the gun would have been loaded with six blanks, but the one that killed Hutchins turned out to be the original. He said harshly, “To be honest, during this process I hoped there would be a moment where Gutierrez Reed would take responsibility, express some level of remorse that was genuine, and that moment never came.”

The young woman also faces another charge, which prosecutors explored during the trial, of carrying a gun into an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. He has pleaded not guilty.

For his part, Alec Baldwin has already pleaded not guilty, but the film’s star and producer will go on trial in July. He was first charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, but prosecutors dropped the charges just weeks later when they learned that the pistol in question had been modified. However, a grand jury returned criminal indictments this year after finding new evidence. Jury selection will begin July 9 and the trial is expected to last 10 days. He also faces 18 months in jail.

Prosecutors claim he should have ensured that the revolver was loaded with non-authentic blanks, though he denies responsibility and claims he was told the bullets were not authentic, and that he trusted the equipment. . The actor has argued that he never pulled the trigger of the gun, but expert reports by both the FBI and independent experts agree that, for the gun to fire, the trigger had to be pulled.