Prosecutors allege that the weapons supervisor on the film set where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer was drinking and smoking marijuana during the filming of Rust. They claim that she may have been hungover when she loaded a live bullet into the revolver used by the actor. The prosecutors, responding to a motion filed by Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys to dismiss her involuntary manslaughter charge, accused her of a history of reckless conduct. They argued that it is in the public interest for her to be held accountable.
Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, criticized the prosecution for mishandling the case. He stated, “The case is so weak that they now have chosen to resort to character assassination claims about Hannah.” A preliminary hearing for Gutierrez-Reed is scheduled for August, where a judge will determine if there is probable cause for the charge to proceed. The prosecutors also mentioned that they will decide within the next 60 days whether to recharge Baldwin based on the analysis of the gun and its broken sear. In April, Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge was dismissed due to new evidence and the need for further investigation.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys argued that the prosecution was tainted by improper political motives and accused the Santa Fe District Attorney and the initial special prosecutor of using the tragic accident to advance their personal interests. They claimed that the FBI’s testing of the gun before the defense could examine it resulted in the destruction of evidence and violated the court’s rules of discovery. The defense also argued that the selective prosecution of Gutierrez-Reed violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
New special prosecutors, who took over after the previous special prosecutor stepped down, disputed these claims. They stated that the prosecution has been fair and not selective. The prosecutors admitted that the source of the live rounds found on set is still unknown and they are actively investigating. They also hinted at evidence that could suggest Gutierrez-Reed’s responsibility and the possibility of additional charges. However, no specifics were provided in the filing. Gutierrez-Reed had reportedly requested the use of live rounds on another film set. (Read more Rust stories.)
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
