In a recent development, prosecutors in New Mexico have alleged that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the set of the film “Rust,” was possibly suffering from a hangover when she loaded a live bullet into the revolver used by actor Alec Baldwin during the tragic shooting incident that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021. This accusation came in response to a motion filed by Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys seeking to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter charge, similar to Baldwin’s dismissal.
The prosecutors have accused Gutierrez-Reed of a history of reckless conduct and argued that it is crucial for her to be held accountable for the sake of public interest.
“Witnesses involved in the case will testify that Gutierrez was heavily drinking and using marijuana during the shooting of Rust,” stated the prosecutors in court documents.
Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, criticized the prosecution, stating, “The weakness of the case has led them to resort to character assassination tactics in order to further influence the jury pool. This investigation and prosecution have not been focused on seeking justice; instead, they have used the opportunity to find a convenient scapegoat.”
A preliminary hearing for Gutierrez-Reed is scheduled for August, during which a judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with her charges.
The prosecutors also mentioned that they will make a decision within the next 60 days about potentially recharging Baldwin, depending on the analysis of the gun and its broken sear by the state’s independent expert. These items were sent for further testing.
Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge, as a producer on the film, was dismissed in April due to new evidence and the need for additional investigation.
The tragic accident occurred when Baldwin aimed the gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on the film set, resulting in her death and the injury of the film’s director, Joel Souza.
Gutierrez-Reed’s defense team argued in their motion that the prosecution was influenced by improper political motives, suggesting that Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and the initial special prosecutor, Andrea Reeb, used the accident as an opportunity to serve their personal interests.
The defense lawyers claimed that the FBI’s testing of the gun, which caused permanent damage before the defense had a chance to examine it, constituted evidence destruction and violated court rules. They also argued that Gutierrez-Reed’s “selective prosecution” violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The new special prosecutors appointed after Reeb’s departure refuted these claims, stating that the prosecution has not and will not be selective in any way.
The prosecutors also acknowledged the unanswered question of the origin of the live rounds found on the set, expressing their ongoing efforts to find out and the possibility of additional charges against Gutierrez-Reed if evidence suggests her responsibility. However, they did not provide specific details about this evidence in the filed document.
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