'Rust' set footage shown in Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's trial
Footage from the Rust movie set was presented during the trial of armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who faces involuntary manslaughter charges over the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The videos, which were played in public for the first time and may also be shown in Alec Baldwin's upcoming trial, depicted the actor urging the crew to "reload" his gun faster. Expert witness and veteran armorer Bryan Carpenter testified that the footage exposed multiple gun safety violations.
Why does this story matter?
In the video that was played during the trial, soon after "cut" was said during the filming, Baldwin wanted another take. "One more! One more! One more! Right away!" he shouted, further yelling, "Let's reload!" Earlier this week, Rust's crew member, Ross Addiego, also testified against Gutierrez-Reed. Addiego said in court that Gutierrez-Reed skipped safety checks. While Gutierrez-Reed's trial is presently underway, Baldwin's trial is scheduled to take place on July 10.
Expert witness highlighted safety lapses on set
Carpenter identified several instances of improper gun handling in the behind-the-scenes clips. He criticized the stuntman for not maintaining "muzzle discipline" and Gutierrez-Reed for not intervening or confiscating a shotgun from the stuntman. Carpenter also mentioned that Gutierrez-Reed should have slowed down when Baldwin tried to hasten the reloading process, stating, "Rushing with firearms and telling someone to rush with firearms is not normal nor accepted."
First assistant director David Halls testified in court
David Halls, the first assistant director on Rust, testified that he believed the set was secure until Hutchins's death. He described Gutierrez-Reed as diligent and knowledgeable about firearms, adding that she always checked guns with him before they were used in scenes. Halls defended Baldwin's actions in the videos, saying they didn't raise safety concerns for him. He admitted not taking any action after two accidental discharges of blank rounds happened days before Hutchins's death.
Halls recounted emotional moments after shooting
Halls became emotional while recounting his interaction with Hutchins right after she was shot. He remembered asking her if she was okay, to which she replied, "I can't feel my legs." Halls, who was charged with negligent handling of a firearm and served six months of unsupervised probation after accepting a plea deal, denied giving the gun to Baldwin before the shooting, stating that Gutierrez-Reed handed it directly to the actor.
What punishment can Gutierrez-Reed be looking at?
The prosecution sought to demonstrate that Gutierrez-Reed was careless in her duties on set and that proper protocol was not followed. They argued she was "sloppy" and left guns unattended. The 24-year-old armorer faces an evidence tampering charge for allegedly asking a friend to hide cocaine for her during the police investigation. If found guilty, she could face up to three years in prison.
