'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Fatal Shooting Incident

Rust Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Is Sentenced After Fatal Shooting of Halyna Hutchins

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Luis Sánchez Saturno - Pool/Getty Images

Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Gutierrez-Reed became emotional when she spoke to the judge before her sentencing, expressing her desire for probation.

She expressed her sorrow for the Hutchins family and friends, mentioning how Helena had always been an inspiration to her. Gutierrez-Reed acknowledged that Helena was taken too soon and offered her prayers for their peace.

She also extended her sympathies to the film industry, recognizing the pain caused by the tragedy. Despite being young and inexperienced when she took on the job for Rust, Gutierrez-Reed emphasized that she had always taken her responsibilities seriously. She admitted to facing challenges due to lack of time, resources, and staff, but she had done her best to manage the situation.

Gutierrez-Reed was in charge of the firearms on the New Mexico set of Rust, where a tragic incident occurred in October 2021. During a rehearsal for the Western film, a gun held by Alec Baldwin went off, despite not being loaded with live ammunition. This resulted in the death of 42-year-old Hutchins and injuries to director Joel Souza.

In January 2023, Gutierrez-Reed faced legal charges related to the incident. She was accused of one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of tampering with evidence. The tampering charge stemmed from an allegation that she handed off a bag of cocaine after her police interview following the shooting. Despite the charges, Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to both accusations.

Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in February during her trial. However, she was deemed not guilty of tampering with evidence. Her lawyer, Jason Bowles, mentioned that she intended to appeal the conviction.

Rust Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Is Sentenced After Fatal Shooting of Halyna Hutchins 2

Halyna Hutchins' family responded to the ruling in March. Their attorneys, Gloria Allred and John Carpenter, stated, "Halyna's parents and her sister have always wanted everyone responsible for her death to be held accountable. Today marks the first trial and conviction in the criminal justice process. We are content that the jury, after reviewing the evidence, found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for her role in Halyna's death."

The statement expressed hope that the justice system will hold all those accountable for Halyna's death.

Juror Alberto Sanchez shared with reporters that the jury believed the verdict reached was fair. He emphasized the importance of taking responsibility, especially when handling weapons.

Shortly before Gutierrez-Reed’s sentencing, prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis submitted recorded jail phone conversations as evidence. In these conversations, Gutierrez-Reed referred to the jurors as “idiots” and “assholes,” expressed her desire for Baldwin to go to prison, and stated that she would not testify at his trial if subpoenaed.

Morrissey and Lewis argued that the phone conversations reveal why Gutierrez-Reed should not be granted the conditional discharge her lawyers are requesting. They pointed out that Gutierrez-Reed's discussions with her mother, boyfriend, and her attorney's paralegal demonstrate her refusal to take responsibility for her actions.

Baldwin is still waiting for his trial in July after being charged with involuntary manslaughter for the second time in January. Despite the accusations, he has pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence since the tragic incident.

In a December 2021 interview with George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stating, “The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them. Never. I have no idea [how a bullet got in there]. Someone put a live bullet in a gun. A bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property.”

Before Gutierrez-Reed's trial, David Halls, the first assistant director who gave the gun to Baldwin before the shooting, pleaded no contest to negligent use of a deadly weapon. He was then sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.

Editor's P/S:

The sentencing of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to 18 months in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" is a reminder of the tragic consequences of negligence and the importance of firearm safety on movie sets. While Gutierrez-Reed's emotional plea for probation may have been understandable, the court's decision to impose a prison sentence sends a clear message that individuals responsible for the handling of firearms must be held accountable for their actions.

It is also worth noting that Alec Baldwin, the actor who fired the gun that killed Hutchins, is still awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. The outcome of his trial will be closely watched by the film industry and the public alike, as it will further shape the legal landscape surrounding firearm safety on film sets. Ultimately, the tragedy of Halyna Hutchins' death should serve as a catalyst for increased vigilance and adherence to safety protocols to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.