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Jurors Find 'Rust' Movie Set's Armorer Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter
This aerial view shows buildings at the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set, near where a crew member was fatally shot during production of the western film "Rust," on Oct. 28, 2021 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Patrick T. Fallon
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AFP via Getty Images
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The armorer on the set of the movie Rust was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was shot by a live round fired from a handgun held by actor Alec Baldwin.
The set armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was also acquitted of tampering with evidence in the case stemming from the 2021 fatal shooting.
Gutierrez Reed, who had pleaded not guilty to all charges, now faces 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Prosecutors sought to show the 26-year-old armorer, who was overseeing guns and ammunition on the Western movie set at the time, acted with “willful disregard” for the safety of others. During the two-week trial, prosecutors alleged Gutierrez-Reed brought live ammunition onto the set while openly ignoring basic industry gun-safety guidelines.
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Gutierrez had acknowledged that she loaded the gun, but insisted she thought they were “dummy” rounds.
Baldwin, the lead actor and a producer of the film, is also facing an involuntary manslaughter charge after being indicted by a grand jury in January. He has pleaded not guilty and denied that he even pulled the trigger. He's expected to appear in court in July.
In a statement to LAist, Hutchins's family said "we are satisfied that the jury, based on the evidence, found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for her part in the taking of Halyna’s life. We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna's death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions."
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