Gun supervisor for ‘Rust’ film to be sentenced for deadly taking pictures by Alec Baldwin on set
SANTA FE, N.M. — A film weapons supervisor is going through as much as 18 months in jail for the deadly taking pictures of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western movie “Rust,” together with her sentencing scheduled for Monday in a New Mexico state courtroom.
Film armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted in March by a jury on a cost of involuntary manslaughter within the loss of life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and has been held for greater than a month at a county jail on the outskirts of Santa Fe.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for “Rust,” was pointing a gun at Hutchins when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has pleaded not responsible to an involuntary manslaughter cost and says he pulled again the gun’s hammer, however not the set off, earlier than the gun went off. His trial is scheduled for July earlier than the identical decide, Mary Marlowe Sommer, who oversaw the path of Gutierrez-Reed.
Gutierrez-Reed may additionally obtain a $5,000 wonderful.
Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing stay ammunition onto the set of “Rust” the place it was expressly prohibited and for failing to observe primary gun security protocols. After a two-week trial, the jury deliberated for about three hours in reaching its verdict.
Protection attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed requested leniency in sentencing — together with a attainable conditional discharge that may keep away from additional jail time and depart an adjudication of guilt off her report if sure situations are met.
Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted at trial of allegations she tampered with proof within the “Rust” investigation. She additionally has pleaded not responsible to a separate felony cost that she allegedly carried a gun right into a bar in Santa Fe the place firearms are prohibited.
Protection attorneys have highlighted Gutierrez-Reed’s comparatively younger age “and the devastating impact a felony could have on her life going ahead.”
They are saying the 26-year-old will ceaselessly be affected negatively by intense publicity related together with her prosecution in parallel with an A-list actor, and has suffered from nervousness, worry and despair because of this.
Particular prosecutor Kari Morrissey urged the decide to impose the utmost jail sentence and designate Gutierrez-Reed as a “critical violent offender” to restrict her eligibility for a sentence discount later, describing the defendant’s conduct on the set of “Rust” as exceptionally reckless. She mentioned Gutierrez-Reed has proven a scarcity of regret, citing feedback by Gutierrez-Reed in cellphone calls from jail which might be monitored by authorities.
“Rust” assistant director and security coordinator Dave Halls final 12 months pleaded no contest to negligent dealing with of a firearm and accomplished a sentence of six months unsupervised probation. “Rust” props grasp Sarah Zachry, who shared some obligations over firearms on the set of “Rust,” signed an settlement with prosecutors to keep away from prosecution in return together with her cooperation.
Written testimonials in favor of leniency included letters from Gutierrez-Reed’s childhood pal and romantic accomplice Sean Kridelbaugh, who mentioned Gutierrez-Reed cries continuously out of regret within the taking pictures and that additional incarceration would intrude with efforts to take care of a relative with most cancers. Different buddies and former colleagues urged the decide to emphasise rehabilitation over punishment within the sentencing.
The pending firearms cost in opposition to Gutierrez-Reed stems from an incident at a bar in downtown Santa Fe, days earlier than she was employed to work because the armorer on “Rust.” Prosecutors says investigations into the deadly taking pictures led to discovery of a selfie video during which Gutierrez-Reed filmed herself carrying a firearm into the bar, whereas protection attorneys allege vindictive prosecution.
