‘Never-ending safety failures’
Film set blast as Rust armourer found guilty of shooting death
BY CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN US Editor
A CINEMATOGRAPHER was shot dead on the set of film Rust after “neverending safety failures”, a court heard.
Lawyers described the Western’s chaotic production as armourer Hannah Gutierrezreed, 26, was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of Halyna Hutchins, 42.
Gutierrez-reed was in charge of weapons on only her second film when a gun fired by Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin hit Ms Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
On Wednesday, a jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, cleared her of evidence tampering but found her guilty of involuntary manslaughter. She had denied both charges and faces up to 18 months when sentenced.
She remained emotionless as she was led off after the verdict but mother Stacy wept.
Baldwin, 65, who was a co-producer, faces an involuntary manslaughter trial in July.
ROULETTE
US prosecutors said Gutierrez-reed had unknowingly brought live ammunition on to the set near Santa Fe, arguing it lingered for at least 12 days until the fatal shooting on October 21, 2021.
In closing arguments, they told of “never-ending safety failures”, adding Gutierrez-reed had an “astonishing lack of diligence with gun safety”. The trial heard she fell short on protocols that might detect live rounds.
Prosecutor Kari Morrissey said: “Gutierrez failed to maintain firearms safety, making a fatal accident wilful and foreseeable. This was a game of Russian roulette every time an actor had a gun with dummies.”
Defence attorneys said the issues on set extended beyond Gutierrez-reed’s control, including Baldwin’s mishandling of weapons. They added prosecutors did not prove where the live rounds originated.
After the verdict, legal analyst Emily Baker said Baldwin’s lawyers got an insight into how things could unfold at his trial, which will have the same judge and prosecutors, and many of the same witnesses.
She added a weapons expert for the prosecution agreed with Baldwin’s team that it was not his job to check the weapon.
Baldwin has maintained he pulled back the gun’s hammer but not the trigger.