‘Rust’ Trial Set For December Start; Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Pleads Not Guilty – Update
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UPDATE, 3:56 PM: Almost two years since Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the New Mexico asset of the indie Western, the trial over her death has been given a start date.
With Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed entering a plea this week, the trial before state District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer will see jury selection start on December 5. If everything goes to plan, the actual matter will begin on December 6 and run until December 15 in a Santa Fa courtroom.
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Hutchins was shot dead in October 2021 by a gun in Alec Baldwin’s hand, Rust director Joel Souza was also injured.
“After reading and understanding the above, I hereby give up my right to personally appear before the District Court for arraignment and I hereby enter a plea of not guilty to all criminal offenses charged in the above styled cause,” said the crew member in a waiver of arraignment and plea filing on August 7.
Now the lone defendant after Baldwin was dropped from the matter months ago by newly installed special prosecutors, Gutierrez-Reed is facing involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence charges. The armorer is looking at up to three years behind bars if she is found guilty.
PREVIOUSLY, August 1: A Santa Fe judge today denied Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s request to have the charges against her dismissed over prosecutors’ recent statements to the media.
In a virtual hearing, defense attorneys claimed that there were structural and jurisdictional problems with the state’s comments about Gutierrez-Reed allegedly trying to hide cocaine from investigators and likely being “hung over” on the day of the on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. The lawyers argued that those comments could taint potential jurors in the case.
New Mexico District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, however, said the defense did not show “actual and substantial prejudice” to warrant dismissal of the charges against the armorer. “This is at the preliminary stage,” Marlowe Sommer said. “For you to say you’ve basically tainted a jury — we’re not even there yet.”
She told attorneys on both sides to “stay the course” on the charges.
Gutierrez-Reed and Rust producer-star Alec Baldwin — who was pointing a gun when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza — were charged in late January with two counts of second-degree involuntary manslaughter. The charges against Baldwin were dropped in April, but prosecutors added an evidence-tampering charge against Gutierrez-Reed two months later, saying she “did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself.”
Gutierrez-Reed’s next hearing is set for August 9.
In filing their motion to dismiss in May (read it here), defense attorneys Jason Bowles and Todd Bullion said: “Because this prosecution was motivated by personal interests — not the facts or the law — it was shaped with the goal of prevailing in the court of public opinion, not a jury trial. As a result, corners were cut and the prosecution team committed other due process and ethical violations.”
The involuntary manslaughter and evidence-tampering charges against Gutierrez-Reed both are fourth-degree felonies that carry a maximum of 18 months to three years behind bars and about $5,000 in fines each.
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