'Rust' armorer sentenced to 18 months for Halyna Hutchins's death
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of Rust, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a New Mexico court. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer made the decision in an emotionally charged hearing on Monday (local time). The sentencing is connected to the tragic demise of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, which unfolded as actor Alec Baldwin discharged live rounds from a prop gun during a rehearsal on the movie set in 2021.
'You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon'
Emphasizing Gutierrez-Reed's role in the incident, the judge stated, "You were the armorer, the one that stood between a safe weapon and a weapon that could kill someone." "But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive, a husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother." "I find what you did constitutes a serious violent offense." To note, the sentence to a state prison was the maximum the 26-year-old could have received under New Mexico law.
Judge questioned Gutierrez-Reed's remorse during trial
Throughout the trial, Gutierrez-Reed expressed regret for her actions. "Your honor, when I took on Rust, I was young and naive. But I took my job as seriously as I knew how to...The jury has found me in part at fault for this horrible tragedy, but that doesn't make me a monster. That makes me human." "I did not hear you take accountability...Your attorney had to tell the court you were remorseful," said an unimpressed Judge Sommer in response.
Gutierrez-Reed to challenge verdict and sentence
According to her lawyer Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed plans to challenge the verdict and sentence. Despite her conviction, she was cleared of accusations of evidence tampering in the Rust case. Additionally, she has denied a separate felony charge alleging she brought a gun into a Santa Fe bar where firearms are not allowed. To recall, in March, Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution successfully proved her responsibility in allowing live ammunition to be loaded into the gun.
Meanwhile, Baldwin also faces trial for involuntary manslaughter
Baldwin is facing trial for involuntary manslaughter related to the same incident. His trial is set for July 9. The actor was rehearsing with the gun aimed at Hutchins on an outdoor movie set near Santa Fe in 2021 when it discharged unexpectedly. This resulted in Hutchins's death and injured director Joel Souza. If convicted, Baldwin could also face up to 18 months in prison.
