Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is seeking to appeal her involuntary manslaughter conviction in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust. She was found guilty on March 6 and sentenced to 18 months in prison in April. Her lawyers have filed a motion to appeal the conviction and are also requesting her release from prison while the appeal is pending, arguing that serving most or all of her sentence would render a large part of the appeal meaningless. Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for the firearms on set when the fatal incident occurred in 2021.
Hutchins was fatally injured when she was struck by a live round of ammunition discharged from a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsals. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the incident. Prior to her sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed expressed remorse for the tragedy, stating that her heart aches for the Hutchins family and friends and that she took her job seriously despite challenges with time, resources, and staffing. The film industry also felt the impact of the tragedy, and Gutierrez-Reed acknowledged her role and the pain caused by the incident.
Following Gutierrez-Reed’s conviction, attorneys for Hutchins’ family expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the trial, stating that it was the first step in the justice process. They emphasized their desire for all parties responsible for Hutchins’ death to be held accountable, with Gutierrez-Reed being found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for her involvement. The family’s attorneys, Gloria Allred and John Carpenter, look forward to ensuring that everyone else responsible for Hutchins’ death faces legal consequences for their actions. Alec Baldwin is scheduled to stand trial on manslaughter charges in July and has pleaded not guilty.
The appeal process for Gutierrez-Reed’s conviction involves efforts to overturn the involuntary manslaughter ruling related to Hutchins’ death on the Rust movie set. Gutierrez-Reed’s role as an armorer responsible for the firearms during the rehearsal where the fatal incident occurred has been central to the legal proceedings. Her lawyers are arguing for her release from prison while the appeal is ongoing, citing potential irrelevance of the sentence served if the appeal is successful. The tragic outcome of the incident has impacted multiple lives, and those involved, including Gutierrez-Reed, continue to navigate the legal aftermath of the incident.
The legal process following the tragedy on the Rust set has involved multiple parties seeking accountability for their roles in the events that led to Halyna Hutchins’ death. Gutierrez-Reed’s appeal is a significant part of the ongoing legal proceedings, as efforts to overturn her conviction move forward. Her lawyers are advocating for her release while the appeal is underway, acknowledging the potential impact on the outcome of the appeal if she serves most or all of her sentence. The justice system’s response to the Rust incident has been multifaceted, with both legal consequences and ongoing efforts to ensure accountability for all those involved in the tragic accident. Alec Baldwin’s upcoming trial adds another layer to the legal proceedings surrounding Hutchins’ death on the Rust set.
