Aug. 11 (UPI) —The armorer in charge of handling prop weapons for the film Rust, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, entered a not guilty plea for charges related to the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Gutierrez-Reed, 26 years old, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. She chose to waive her right to a preliminary hearing, according to court documents.
Halyna Hutchins tragically lost her life in October 2021 due to an accident on the film set. Alec Baldwin, the actor handling a prop gun during rehearsals, unintentionally fired a live round, which is prohibited on film sets.
In addition to the existing charges, Gutierrez-Reed is now facing charges of evidence tampering. These new allegations claim that she handed over a bag of cocaine to someone else on the day of the incident. Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to these new charges as well.
The trial is scheduled to begin on December 5 with the selection of the jury. It is anticipated to last approximately two weeks. The trial date was set after the armorer’s lawyer’s request to dismiss the case was denied by a judge in New Mexico.
Alec Baldwin was previously charged with involuntary manslaughter, but the charges were dropped in April after evidence revealed that the gun used had been modified in a way that increased the likelihood of accidental discharge.
Prosecutors have alleged that Gutierrez-Reed loaded a live round into the revolver handled by Baldwin while she was under the influence. Witnesses reported seeing her consuming alcohol heavily and smoking marijuana on set.
“Baldwin should have known that pointing a gun at someone he didn’t intend to shoot goes against the first rule of gun safety,” stated Robert Shilling, a special investigator in the case. “His reckless disregard for established standards, practices, and protocols directly resulted in the fatal shooting.”
Andrea Reeb, a special prosecutor, has argued that if Baldwin, Gutierrez-Reed, or David Halls had done their jobs properly, Halyna Hutchins would still be alive today.
David Halls, the first assistant director, pleaded no contest to a charge of negligent handling of a weapon, thereby avoiding a prison sentence.
