Rust shooting: armorer sentenced to prison for manslaughter

In March 2024, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the accidental shooting on the set of 'Rust'. The prison sentence has now been determined. She has to serve 18 months.

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While announcing the sentence Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said: "I did not hear you take accountability in your allocution. You said you were sorry, but not (that) you were sorry for what you did...You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon."

It's the first serious sentence in the drama following the 2021 death of 'Rust' cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. To determine whether the armorer was guilty of manslaughter, the jury only needed three hours of deliberation.

The charge of which 26-year-old Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty is involuntary manslaughter. Of course, she never meant to kill anyone, but she was in charge of the weapons used during the filming of the Western 'Rust' and should have taken better care of the safety on set, the jury ruled.

The next person to go to trial is the actor who pulled the trigger of the prop gun that accidentally shot real bullets and killed Halyna Hutchins on that fateful day in 2021. Alec Baldwin did not only play the lead role in the film 'Rust' but he was also one of its producers, making him a possible culprit on different levels.

On October 21, 2021, Alec Baldwin was practicing a scene in the Western 'Rust' when he fired a loaded gun that was supposed to contain empty shells. He injured the movie's director Joel Souza and fatally shot the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin has always claimed to be innocent of the charges. He was initially prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter but had the charges dropped.

However, new evidence revived the case against him. Alec Baldwin is now set to face a second trial for involuntary manslaughter. It is scheduled to start in July 2024. The actor has always claimed that he never even pulled the trigger of the gun, but FBI examiners say that that's impossible, per Deadline.

The jury selection is scheduled for July 9 and the trial should kick off the following day, July 10. It is expected to last at least nine days, according to New Mexico authorities.

The prosecution aims to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Alec Baldwin is legally responsible for Halyna Hutchins' death. He has always denied such responsibility.

Baldwin's defense has centered on his not knowing that the gun was loaded. In addition, his legal team has emphasized that ensuring weapon safety was not his job. They point the finger at Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

The appearance of new evidence in the case led the prosecution to call Baldwin to the court for a second time. If the actor/producer is found guilty, he could go to prison for 1,5 to 3 years, Deadline and Variety report.

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