Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the young armorer responsible for weapons on the movie set of “Rust,” awaits her sentencing on Monday for her role in the 2021 tragedy that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Last month, a New Mexico jury found Gutierrez-Reed, 26, guilty of involuntary manslaughter after live ammunition was loaded into a prop gun fired by actor Alec Baldwin, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Prosecutors have urged the judge to impose the maximum 18-month prison term.
The sentencing will be a culmination of the high-profile case examining the lapse in firearm safety protocols. Prosecutors asserted that Gutierrez-Reed’s carelessness and negligence in handling weapons on the set was criminal and directly led to Hutchins’ death.
“This is not a case where Hannah Gutierrez made one mistake, and that one mistake was accidental — putting a live round into that gun. This case is about constant, neverending, safety failures that resulted in the death of a human being and nearly killed another.” ~ Prosecutor Kari Morrissey
During the trial, they argued that she failed to follow proper firearm safety procedures. However, the defense claimed Gutierrez-Reed was just a “scapegoat” and that Baldwin was ultimately responsible.
The defense argued that the veteran actor went “off-script” and improperly aimed the firearm, which, they said, was the “ultimate act” that resulted in the fatal shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed’s legal team has also pushed for probation instead of incarceration. They cited her youth, and lack of prior offenses, and claim that she has already faced harsh “collateral consequences” from the incident that will permanently impact her life and career prospects.
However, in recorded jail calls after her conviction, Gutierrez-Reed called the jurors “idiots” and said she would not testify at Baldwin’s upcoming trial if asked. She also stated she wants Baldwin to go to jail as well.
With that, prosecutors have insisted on the 18-month sentence, claiming she has shown no genuine remorse.
Finally, Alec Baldwin, who faces the same charges, will be tried in July. His attorneys have already filed to dismiss the charge against him.
