Rust production wanted to fire ‘difficult to work with’ armourer before Alec Baldwin shooting: Live

“Rust” prop master Sarah Zachry testified on Friday, and admitted to a defence attorney that she had previously voiced a desire to both fire Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and — after the shooting of Halyna Hutchins — see her sent to prison.

After the cross-exam, Ms Zachry told the prosection that the armourer was not easy to work with and confirmed that Gutierrez-Reed had called her a “c***,” which the prosecution argued is likely why Ms Zachry wanted to fire her.

Gutierrez-Reed is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the fatal shooting of Ms Hutchins. Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting. His trial will begin on 9 July.

The prosecution seeks to prove that Gutierrez-Reed was negligent in her duties on set and that proper protocol was in place during the investigation of the shooting. The state claims the armourer was “sloppy” and had left guns unattended on the set.

Gutierrez-Reed is also facing an evidence tampering charge for allegedly asking a friend to hide cocaine for her while police were investigating the shooting.

Gutierrez-Reed faces up to three years in prison if she is convicted.

Key Points

• ‘Rust' armourer heads to trial

• Alec Baldwin’s trial set to begin in July

• ‘Rust’ dolly grip: ‘I’m hoping for justice'

• ‘Sloppy’ armourer or ‘easy target’: Key moments so far from Rust shooting trial

• Bodycam footage reveals Rust armourer’s reaction after Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘I just f***** up my entire career’

‘Rust’ trial concludes for the day

21:55 , Graig Graziosi

The judge in the ‘Rust’ trial has ended the proceedings for today.

The trial will resume on Monday.

‘Rust’ script supervisor says accidental discharge on set ‘almost blew my ears out'

21:52 , Graig Graziosi

Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor on “Rust,” is now being cross-exmained.

The defence for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed asked Ms Mitchell if she was present for two misfires that occurred on set, which she described earlier in the proceeding.

Ms Mitchell seemed annoyed by the question.

“I was there, it almost blew my ears out,” she said.

The defence then asked if the scene during which Halyna Hutchins was shot required Alec Baldwin to pull his weapon and point it toward the camera.

Ms Mitchell said that was not what had been discussed prior to rehearsing the scene.

‘Rust’ script supervisor recalls the moment Halyna Hutchins was shot

21:46 , Graig Graziosi

Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor on “Rust,” described the moment Halyna Hutchins was shot.

She said there was an “explosion” and a shock in the church, and then she saw the aftermath of the gunshot.

“I heard gutteral moaning, and my director was crab crawling backwards, and I turned around to look at Alec, and when I did I saw [Ms Hutchins] falling, and I ran,” she said.

She ran out of the church “to get help and away from danger,” and she called 911.

Ms Mitchell said she said “two people have accidentally been shot,” and explained that she called it an “accident” because she did not want the police to think there was an active or mass shooting occurring on set.

‘Rust’ scrip supervisor said Gutierrez-Reed was not professional, had a disorganised prop cart

21:25 , Graig Graziosi

Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor on “Rust,” said Hannah Gutierrez-Reed did not “present” the way she was used seeing armourers on film sets.

“I found her to be inexperienced and did not present in the way I’m used to seeing professional armourers — union armourers — present on a film set,” she said. “The armourers are very quiet, focused, and very organised.”

She also describd Gutierrez-Reed’s prop cart as “messy”, like the “drawer in your kitchen where you put stuff.”

‘Rust’ script supervisor called to testify

21:18 , Graig Graziosi

Mamie Mitchell, the script supervisor on “Rust” is testifying.

She said she has quit the film industry since the incident on the film and is now working as a substittue teacher.

Ms Mitchell said she had worked as a script supervisor for 42 years, and had worked on 74 films and television shows.

‘Rust’ medic says she’s testifying to try to secure safety changes in the film industry

21:13 , Graig Graziosi

Cherilyn Schafer said she is testifying because she wants to see change in the film industry.

In a tearful statement, she explained that she wanted to see more substantive safety measures introduced to the film industry to prevent tragedy’s like Halyna Hutchins’ death from happening again.

She said on a typical set there would need to be 300 people on set before she could feasibly convince a production to bring on another medic.

Ms Schafer said she had two patients with severe wounds and had no additional resources to assit her.

She said she has a son the same age as Halyna’s, and couldn’t help but think of what happened.

“All I could think of was how I wasn’t able to save his mother,” she said, crying.

The judge said she had not expected that testimony and had it struck from the record. The witness was then dismissed.

‘Had our armourer and first AD done their jobs, we wouldn’t be here, a woman would not be dead, a mother would not be gone’

20:59 , Graig Graziosi

The defence is now cross-examining Cherilyn Schafer, the medic who worked on “Rust.”

The defence brought up that Ms Schafer has filed a lawsuit against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, among other crewmembers on the set of Rust, alleging that she was truamatised by what occurred on set. The defence and asked if she thought testifying would help her obtain money for those lawsuits.

Ms Schafer said she was not there for her civil trial, she was there for Gutierrez-Reed’s criminal trial.

“Had our armourer and first AD done their jobs, we wouldn’t be here, a woman would not be dead, a mother would not be gone,” Ms Schafer said.

‘Rust’ medic recalls the moment Halyna Hutchins was shot

20:47 , Graig Graziosi

Cherilyn Schafer, a medic who worked on “Rust,” struggled to hold back tears while describing the moment Halyna Hutchins was shot.

She was outside of the church when she heard the gunshot, and then grabbed her bag and rushed into the church.

“I heard medic emergency over the radio,” she said.

She said Ms Hutchins said she couldn’t feel her legs, which indicated she’d suffered some kind of spinal injury. She then saw the blood on her back, and used shears to open Ms Hutchins’ jacket to see if she could locate her wound.

Ms Schafet said she called for ambulances and a helicopter to assist, and told everyone who wasn’t necessary to be in the church to leave.

‘Rust’ medic says safety meetings on set were ‘rare'

20:36 , Graig Graziosi

Cherilyn Schafer, a medic who worked on the set of “Rust,” said that safety meetings were rare on the set.

Previous testimony from another crewmember said that on a typical production, safety meetings occurred daily, if not more.

She said the meeting was called on the day that a camera crew walked off set. That was also the day Halyna Hutchins was shot on set.

‘Rust’ medic called to testify after break

20:27 , Graig Graziosi

The trial has resumed after a lunch break.

Cherilyn Schafer, a medic in the film industry who worked on the set of “Rust,” has been called to testify.

She told the prosecutor that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed did not secure weapons on set the way she was used to seeing armourers secure weapons.

Ms Schafer said she only saw Gutierrez-Reed check weapons “sometimes,” and said that a “good majority of the time” actors maintained their weapons even after scenes had concluded filming.

The court breaks for lunch

19:12 , Graig Graziosi

The court has recessed for lunch.

The trial will resume at 1:10 local time, 3:10 EST.

Wyatt Mortenson, wrangler and stuntman, is called to testify

18:54 , Graig Graziosi

The state has called Wyatt Mortenson, who worked to maintain the horses on the set of “Rust” and acted as a stuntman and extra.

The prosecutor asked him if he recalled an incident in which a rifle was lost on set.

He said he had, and recalled that a rifle had been lost after a scene was filmed.

Mr Mortenson also said he recalled seeing guns and ammunition being left unattended on set.

He said it seemed “unusual” to see guns and ammunition being left unattended.

Hotel worker who had access to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s hotel room, testifies

18:47 , Graig Graziosi

Emery Chacon, a hotel worker who had access to Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s hotel room, has been called by the state to testify.

He worked at the hotel where Gutierrez-Reed was staying while she was working on “Rust.”

Mr Chacon said he saw pistol ammunition in her room on the times when he was inside the room.

The defence then began its cross-examination.

The defence pushed Mr Chacon on his relationship with Gutierrez-Reed. He admitted that he had feelings for her that she did not reciprocate.

Defence questions ‘Rust’ director

18:40 , Graig Graziosi

Jason Bowles, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defence attorney, is cross-examining “Rust” director Joel Souza.

Mr Bowles asked Mr Souza if he knew that Screen Actors Guild guidlines put the responsibility of maintaining safety on set on the assistant director if an armourer is not present.

Mr Souza said he was not familiar with the rule, and noted that — as a director and screenwriter — he is not a member of SAG.

‘It’s not possible’ : ‘Rust’ director says he refused to believe he’d been shot by a live round on set

18:12 , Graig Graziosi

Joel Souza, the director on the film “Rust,” said he argued with medical staff at a hospital after he and Halyna Hutchins were shot on the set of the film.

“It’s not possible, you don’t understand, it’s not possible,” he recalled telling medical staff after they said he’d been wounded by a real bullet.

Live rounds are never supposed to be on a film set. He said he did not believe it was a real bullet until he was showed an X-ray of his back showing the bullet.

‘Rust’ director recalls moment Halyna Hutchins was shot

18:09 , Graig Graziosi

Joel Souza, the director on the film “Rust,” said he remembered watching Halyna Hutchins be lowered to the ground immediately after she was shot.

He said he was confused and could not figure out what had happened. He had also been shot as the bullet passed through Ms Hutchins and hit him in the abdomen.

Mr Souza said he thought perhaps Ms Hutchins had just been startled by the gun, but then he saw the blood pooling on her back and realised something terrible had occured.

He said he recalled Hannah Gutierrez-Reed yelling “I’m sorry, I’m sorry Joel” in the aftermath of the incident.

‘Rust’ director Joel Souza testifies

17:32 , Graig Graziosi

Joel Souza, the director on the film “Rust,” has been called by the state to testify in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

Mr Souza is asked about his relationship with Halyna Hutchins and recalls how he met her, and praised her style and her prestigious training through the American Film Institute.

Mr Souza was also shot on the day Ms Hutchins was killed. The bullet exited Ms Hutchins’ body and struck Mr Souza.

‘Rust’ prop master explains why she wanted to fire Hannah Gutierrez-Reed

16:39 , Graig Graziosi

After being confronted by defence attorney Jason Bowles about wanting to fire Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, “Rust” prop master Sarah Zachry was asked by prosecutors if it was easy to work with the armourer.

“No,” Ms Zachry replied.

The prosecutor then asked Ms Zachry if Gutierrez-Reed had ever called her a “c***.”

Ms Zachry seemed upset and answered “yes.”

The prosecutor then pointed out that perhaps that’s why Ms Zachry wanted to fire Gutierrez-Reed.

‘I hope she’s put in jail, this is outrageous'

16:31 , Graig Graziosi

Defence attorney Jason Bowles makes “Rust” prop master Sarah Zachry admit that she previously said she wanted to see Hannah Gutierrez-Reed go to prison.

He asked Ms Zachry if she recalled saying that, and she said she did not.

Mr Bowles then presented Ms Zachry with text messages showing that she had made the comment.

“I hope [Gutierrez-Reed is] put in jail, this is outrageous,” Ms Zachry reportedly wrote.

After reviewing the texts, she agreed that she did in fact send the messages.

Trial resumes: ‘Rust’ prop master Sarah Zachry sits for cross examination

16:26 , Graig Graziosi

Sarah Zachry, the prop master on “Rust,” sat for a cross-examination on Friday morning in Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s involuntary manslaughter.

The trial has resumed after adjourning on Thursday night.

Ms Zachry confirmed to Mr Bowles that she did not have Alec Baldwin’s phone number before the shooting, but that she spoke with the actor and with first assistant director Dave Halls after the shooting.

Mr Bowles asked her if she ever texted that she was just “trying to get my facts straight,” to which she said she did.

Trial recap: ‘Rust’ assistant director says he was not compelled to testify under plea agreement

14:00 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” said his plea agreement did not force him to testify in Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s involuntary manslaughter trial.

When asked why he chose to participate, he said he wanted everyone to know the truth about what happened on the set.

“It’s important to me that the truth be known, that Halyna’s husband and son know what happened. It’s important to me that the cast and crew of ‘Rust’ know what happened, and that the televsion and film industry know what happened, so that this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The trial then broke for a short recess.

Trial recap: David Halls recalls the moment the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins occurred

13:00 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” recalled the moment that cinematographer Haylna Hutchins was shot.

He said Alec Baldwin pulled his gun out, cross-drawing, and was talking with Ms Hutchins about where to pull the gun.

Mr Halls became emotional during the recollection.

“The idea that it was a live round of ammunition that went off...it wasn’t computing,” Mr Halls said.

He initially thought it was a blank that went off, or an obstruction in the gun.

Mr Halls said Ms Hutchins fell to the ground three feet to his left.

He then began crying. Mr Halls said he asked if Ms Hutchins was alright, and she said “I can’t feel my legs.”

Mr Halls said he then left the church to make sure 911 was being called, and the set medic arrived to assist Ms Hutchins.

Trial recap: John Ziello recalls moments after Halyna Hutchins was shot

12:00 , Graig Graziosi

John Ziello, the key rigging grip on the set of “Rust,” recalled the moments after Halyna Hutchins was shot.

He said he heard the shot from outside the church and rushed inside after he heard calls for someone to call 911. He said he pushed pews inside the church away to make room for people to assist Ms Hutchins.

Mr Ziello said he held Ms Hutchin’s head and neck to assist paramedics.

During his recollection of the events he struggled to maintain his composure. He had just driven Ms Hutchins to the church in the moments prior to the shooting.

Trial recap: ‘Rust’ crewmember says he saw firearm-handling issues on set

11:00 , Graig Graziosi

John Ziello, the key rigging grip on the set of “Rust,” said on two occassions he saw the ammunition cart — with guns sitting out in the open — left unattended on set.

He later said that typically that would not occur on a set because there are “chain of custody” protocols involved in firearm handling on film sets.

Mr Ziello also said during one scene he saw an actor “playing with” one of the guns, and he half-jokingly said “hey man, don’t shoot me” to discourage the actor.

He said Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was not monitoring the actor with the weapon at the time of the incident.

Trial recap: ‘What the f*** that’s insane’: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts to ammo revelation

10:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts with shock when she learns that the casing of the bullet fired in the Halyna Hutchins shooting used components from a company that only produces bullet components — which are often used on film sets — and not live ammo.

The casings produced by the ammunition company can be “reloaded” and made into live rounds.

If a reloaded Starline Brass bullet was mixed with dummy ammunition using the same casings, they would be difficult to tell apart from one another without checking the individual bullet to ensure it is not live.

“What the f***, that’s insane,” Gutierrez-Reed said when she was shown the photos of the casings.

Trial recap: ‘Rust’ dolly grip gives emotional recollection of on-set shooting

09:00 , Graig Graziosi

During his testimony on Monday, ‘Rust’ dolly grip Ross Addiego, became emotional as he recalled the moments after the shooting on the film’s set.

His voice faltering slightly, he told the court: “She was quite clearly injured... [she was] starting to go flush and holding her right side.”

“Joel [Souza] let out some scream to indicate that he was also injured,” he said.

Mr Addiego said that he had attended to Mr Souza, the director of the film, before he and other crew members had moved a church pew so that they could lay Hutchins on the floor. He recalled telling the director to “get the f*** out of here,” and someone else had called 911.

He added that he had not heard “anything verbal” from Hutchins, just groans of pain.

“They were trying to stbilise her to get her in a helicopter to get her to whatever ER they thought was appropriate,” he said, again with a trembling voice.

At one point Mr Addiego took off his glasses to wipe his eyes.

Trial recap: ‘I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** my whole entire career’

08:00 , Graig Graziosi

A video taken from the bodycamera footage of Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock was played in court. The footage shows Ms Hancock escorting Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot.

“Welcome to the worst day of my life,” Gutierrez-Reed says as the two walk toward the bathroom.

She later says “I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” Gutierrez-Reed says.

She also asks to be moved to another car to avoid being seen by her coworkers.

“I just want to get the f*** out of here and never show my face in this industry again,” she says.

When Ms Hancock asks her what about her background, she says she’s new to the industry but fears she’s ruined her career.

“I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** up my entire career,” she says.

EXPLAINER — Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

07:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.

What is involuntary manslaughter?

The Santa Fe DA said that Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed would be “charged in the alternative” with two counts of manslaughter.

This means that a “jury would decide not simply if they were guilty, but under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty,” the DA said in a statement.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

Trial recap: Guttierez-Reed struggles to maintain composure while viewing autopsy photos

06:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Guttierez-Reed has maintained a generally stoic expression for the majority of the trial, but she appeared close to breaking on Tuesday when she was shown autopsy photos of Halyna Hutchins.

The photos were shown during the testimony of University of New Mexico Chief Medical Investigator Dr Heather Jarrell.

Dr Jarrell said that the photos showed Ms Hutchins before her wounds had been cleaned, as is typical practice for medical examiners.

Ms Guttierez-Reed was visibly disturbed by the images, and her eyes frequently darted away from the screen.

Trial recap: Courtroom chaos has plagued the trial

04:59 , Graig Graziosi

The court called for its afternoon break just after the stenographer’s machine broke, requiring engineers to be brought in before the trial can continue.

The trial thus far has had a number of strange hiccups that have affected the proceeding. On the first day, one of the jurors was involved in a car accident on the way to court, which forced the trial to delay opening statements for a few hours. Video and image components of the trial have frequently faltered and required technicians to fix, and at one point Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s cell phone number was leaked.

People watching livestreams of the trial via CourtTV copied down her number and some began to send her harassing text messages, which may have contributed to the trial ending several hours early on one of the hearing days.

Alec Baldwin, an armourer and an assistant director: Who was charged in Rust shooting death of Halyna Hutchins?

04:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin and two crew members were charged over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in January, after an exhaustive 15 month investigation.

Then on Thursday 20 April, weeks before the trial was due to begin, Baldwin’s attorneys announced a charge of involuntary manslaughter had been dismissed.

Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was also facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

READ MORE:

Who was charged in Rust shooting death of Halyna Hutchins?

ICYMI: Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

03:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the New Mexico film set in 2021.

Prosecutors filed the felony charges against the actor, who allegedly pointed a gun at Hutchins that went off and fatally shot her, on Tuesday (31 January), according to Albuquerque TV station KOAT.

Hutchins died after being struck by a live bullet at Bonanza Creek Ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 21 October 2021. Joel Souza, the director of the film Rust, was also shot and injured but survived the incident.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

Trial recap: Gutierrez-Reed says she’s ‘not sure’ how a live round got into one of her ammo boxes

02:00 , Graig Graziosi

The court saw video footage taken from Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s discussions with investigators.

She said that on the day of the shooting, she picked up a box of dummy ammunition and shook them to hear the “jingle.”

Dummy rounds are often hollow with a ball bearing inside to indicate they are not live rounds. The prosecution argued that Gutierrez-Reed would not have been able to ascertain that every round in the box was a dummy round.

Gutierrez-Reed later said she loaded every round into the revolver Alec Baldwin would ultimately use to shoot Halyna Hutchins. When investigators asked how that could be since a live round wound up in the car, Gutierrez-Reed said she did not know.

WATCH: Alec Baldwin's Involuntary Manslaughter Trial Set For July

01:00 , Graig Graziosi

ICYMI: Bodycam footage reveals Rust armourer’s reaction after Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘I just f***** up my entire career’

00:00 , Graig Graziosi

Body camera footage obtained from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office showed Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of Rust, lamenting her career in the hours after director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set.

Sante Fe County Sheriff’s Detective Alexandria Hancock was shown escorting Ms Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day of the shooting. On their walk to the bathroom Ms Gutierrez-Reed told her, “Welcome to the worst day of my life.”

She later expressed shock that actor and producer Baldwin was the one who was holding the gun.

“I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” she says.

READ MORE:

Armourer in ‘Rust’ trial laments end of career during Halyna Hutchins shooting trial

Images from the ‘Rust’ trial

Thursday 29 February 2024 23:30 , Graig Graziosi

‘Rust’ prop master Sarah Zachry called to testify

Thursday 29 February 2024 22:46 , Graig Graziosi

“Rust” prop master Sarah Zachry has been called to testify.

She said she quit the film industry following the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

On “Rust,” Ms Zachry said she controlled any item held by the actors, from hand sanitiser to firearms.

Prosecutors point out that Alec Baldwin changed his story about who handed him the ‘Rust’ revolver

Thursday 29 February 2024 22:44 , Graig Graziosi

The prosecutors have asked David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” if he remembers Alec Baldwin changing his story about who gave him the revolver on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot.

Baldwin initially said Hannah Gutierrez-Reed gave him the gun. During a later interview with a police detective, he reportedly changed his story and said that Mr Halls gave him the gun.

Baldwin’s story reportedly changed after Gutierrez-Reed spoke to detectives and claimed that Mr Halls gave the actor the gun.

Defence says David Halls gave Alec Baldwin the gun used in ‘Rust’ shooting, Halls says he did not

Thursday 29 February 2024 22:29 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” said he did not give Alec Baldwin the gun used in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defence attorney reminded him that his testimony conflicts with statements given both by Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed, who both allegedly said that Baldwin was handed the gun by Mr Halls.

The defence attorney pointed out that, without Gutierrez-Reed on set, Mr Halls became the point person for ensuring safety on set at the time of the shooting.

Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed’s defence attorney, has stated that he believes his client was an “easy target” and that the producers and Baldwin are at fault for Ms Hutchins’ death.

David Halls sits for cross-examination

Thursday 29 February 2024 22:06 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” is now being cross-examined by Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defence attorney Jason Bowles.

The focus of Mr Bowles questioning thus far has been on Alec Baldwin’s actions on set.

Mr Bowles has asked if Mr Baldwin “rushed people on set” and shot a gun after a scene had ended.

Gutierrez-Reed’s defence has argued that the shooting of Halyna Hutchins was the fault of Baldwin and the production crew on “Rust.”

‘Rust’ assistant director says he was not compelled to testify under plea agreement

Thursday 29 February 2024 21:21 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” said his plea agreement did not force him to testify in Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s involuntary manslaughter trial.

When asked why he chose to participate, he said he wanted everyone to know the truth about what happened on the set.

“It’s important to me that the truth be known, that Halyna’s husband and son know what happened. It’s important to me that the cast and crew of ‘Rust’ know what happened, and that the televsion and film industry know what happened, so that this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The trial then broke for a short recess.

‘Rust’ assistant director said Gutierrez-Reed wasn’t in the church with the gun used to shoot Halyna Hutchins

Thursday 29 February 2024 21:18 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” said shortly after the shooting he grabbed the revolver Alec Baldwin was holding when Halyna Hutchins was shot and asked Hanah Gutierrez-Reed to unload the gun.

He said he needed to see what was loaded inside the gun.

Mr Halls later said that Gutierrez-Reed wasn’t in the church with the gun, and admitted that in his experience that was not something an armourer would do when a gun was present on scene.

David Halls recalls the moment the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins occurred

Thursday 29 February 2024 21:14 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” recalled the moment that cinematographer Haylna Hutchins was shot.

He said Alec Baldwin pulled his gun out, cross-drawing, and was talking with Ms Hutchins about where to pull the gun.

Mr Halls became emotional during the recollection.

“The idea that it was a live round of ammunition that went off...it wasn’t computing,” Mr Halls said.

He initially thought it was a blank that went off, or an obstruction in the gun.

Mr Halls said Ms Hutchins fell to the ground three feet to his left.

He then began crying. Mr Halls said he asked if Ms Hutchins was alright, and she said “I can’t feel my legs.”

Mr Halls said he then left the church to make sure 911 was being called, and the set medic arrived to assist Ms Hutchins.

Dave Halls says he did not call for the gun to be brought to Alec Baldwin on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot

Thursday 29 February 2024 21:08 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on “Rust,” said he did not call for a gun to be brought to Alec Baldwin on the day that Haylna Hutchins was shot.

He said typically when actors are being used to help “block” scenes they do not have weapons, props, or wardrobe. Those are usually given just before a scene is ready to be filmed.

Mr Halls said even though he did not call for a gun, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed wanted to do the gun check at the time of the rehersal. That gun check occurred prior to the crew taking a lunch break.

He said when the gun check occurred, there were no bullets loaded in the revolver.

After the lunch break, he said Gutierrez-Reed told him she had put dummy rounds in the revolver. Dummy rounds are typically loaded into a gun to make it appear loaded for filming.

He said after a second safety check he saw the dummy rounds inside the gun, and described them as “very distinctive bright brass ... and all the primers were depressed.”

Mr Halls said he only saw “three or four” of the bullets in the drum, but not all six. He said he did not see Gutierrez-Reed turn the cylinder.

State calls David Halls, ‘Rust’ first assistant director, to testify

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:45 , Graig Graziosi

David Halls, the first assistant director on Rust, has taken the stand.

He was also charged in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

He pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to a six month probation after taking a plea deal with prosecutors.

The defence has attempted to put the blame for the shooting on the “Rust” production, Alec Baldwin, and Mr Halls.

‘Rust’ grip cross-exmained

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:43 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney has asked John Ziello, the key rigging grip on the set of “Rust,” if the trauma of the event may have affected his memory of the night Halyna Hutchins was shot.

He said that he took contemporaneous notes following the shooting and insisted he trusted his recollection.

During his testimony to the prosecutors, he said immediately after the shooting he saw Gutierrez-Reed and first-assistant director David Halls unloading the gun Alec Baldwin was holding when Ms Hutchins was shot.

John Ziello recalls moments after Halyna Hutchins was shot

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:33 , Graig Graziosi

John Ziello, the key rigging grip on the set of “Rust,” recalled the moments after Halyna Hutchins was shot.

He said he heard the shot from outside the church and rushed inside after he heard calls for someone to call 911. He said he pushed pews inside the church away to make room for people to assist Ms Hutchins.

Mr Ziello said he held Ms Hutchin’s head and neck to assist paramedics.

During his recollection of the events he struggled to maintain his composure. He had just driven Ms Hutchins to the church in the moments prior to the shooting.

‘Rust’ crewmember says he saw firearm-handling issues on set

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:26 , Graig Graziosi

John Ziello, the key rigging grip on the set of “Rust,” said on two occassions he saw the ammunition cart — with guns sitting out in the open — left unattended on set.

He later said that typically that would not occur on a set because there are “chain of custody” protocols involved in firearm handling on film sets.

Mr Ziello also said during one scene he saw an actor “playing with” one of the guns, and he half-jokingly said “hey man, don’t shoot me” to discourage the actor.

He said Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was not monitoring the actor with the weapon at the time of the incident.

John Ziello, ‘Rust’ grip, called to testify

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:20 , Graig Graziosi

John Ziello, the key rigghing grip on the set of “Rust,” has been called to testify.

He said he has worked in the film industry for 15 years and has worked on hundreds of projects.

Trial resumes, ‘Rust’ producer Nathan Klingher takes the stand

Thursday 29 February 2024 20:12 , Graig Graziosi

The trial has resumed after a lunch break.

Nathan Klingher, one of the producers on the film “Rust,” has been called to testify.

Court recesses for lunch

Thursday 29 February 2024 19:02 , Graig Graziosi

The court has recessed for lunch.

The trial will resume at 1pm local time, 3pm EST.

State calls ‘Rust’ producer Ryan Winterstern to testify

Thursday 29 February 2024 18:44 , Graig Graziosi

Ryan Winterstern, a producer of the film “Rust,” has been called by the state to testify.

After a short questioning from the state, the defence began a cross-examination.

The defence attorney pointed out that films produced in New Mexico receive a tax-credit that can then be sold, and that the costs of shooting a movie in the state can be recouped to a percentage and resold. The attorney then asked Mr Winterstern if the movie was a tax shelter.

Mr Winterstern did not seem to know what she meant by “tax shelter,” and after an objection she moved on from her question.

The defence attorney then asked if the six producers on the relatively low-budget “Rust” was out of the norm, which Mr Winterstern also did not know.

Prosecutors ask armourer if he knew basic gun safety rules before beginning his job as an armourer

Thursday 29 February 2024 18:25 , Graig Graziosi

After cross-exmaination, the state asks Bryan Carpenter, a Hollywood armourer testifying in the “Rust” shooting trial, if he had to learn basic firearms safety while on the job, or if he understood those rules before he began his work as an armourer.

“When you first started out as an armourer, would you have held a double barrel shotgun pointed at your own head?”

“I would not,” he replied.

A video was shown earlier in which Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on “Rust,” was holding a shotgun with the barrel pointed up at her head.

WATCH: ‘Rust’ shooting trial live

Thursday 29 February 2024 18:03 , Graig Graziosi

Live: Rust trial continues as armourer faces involuntary manslaughter charges

Defence cross-examines armourer

Thursday 29 February 2024 17:57 , Graig Graziosi

Jason Bowles, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defence attorney is cross-examining Byran Carpenter, a Hollywood armourer who was called to testify by the state.

Mr Bowles used the opportunity to build a case against the film’s producers, pointing out that not only was Gutierrez-Reed assigned to prop duties on-top of her armourer duties, but that she was only a “part-time” fire arm.

Mr Carpenter earlier said he would have wanted two armourers on the “Rust” production because it was a “gun-heavy set.”

Court sees footage in which shotgun barrel is pointed up at Gutierrez-Reed’s face

Thursday 29 February 2024 16:49 , Graig Graziosi

The state has showed a video clip taken from the production of “Rust” that shows a moment where Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is holding a shotgun.

The shotgun’s stock is on the ground, and the barrel is pointed upward. She has her hands wrapped around the end of the barrel, which at moments points up toward her face and neck.

Byran Carpenter, a Hollywood armourer testifying for the state, said it violated basic gun safety rules.

Court shows ‘Rust’ footage as armourer comments on safety infractions

Thursday 29 February 2024 16:41 , Graig Graziosi

Byran Carpenter, a Hollywood armourer, watched footage taken from the set of “Rust” and commented on safety issues he noticed, which — the state is arguing — should have been addressed by Gutierrez-Reed.

In one shot, an actor can be seen carrying a long shotgun without pointing the muzzle at the ground. The muzzle ends up pointed at various people as the actor walks across the set. Mr Carpenter said that broke the “third rule” of firearm handling, and said he would have asked the actor to either carry the gun properly, or he would have taken the gun from the actor.

In the same scene a background actor can be seen pointing a gun at two people.

The prosecutor asked Mr Carpenter if he saw Gutierrez-Reed in any of the footage. He said he did not.

Witness describes the pressure on armourers on movie sets

Thursday 29 February 2024 16:26 , Graig Graziosi

The state called Byran Carpenter, a Hollywood armourer, to testify on Thursday morning.

Mr Carpenter said that armourers were one of only three individuals who could completely bring a movie set to a stop. He explained that the longer a production spends shooting a film, the more money it spends, so there is incentive to rush productions.

He said the pressure to film quickly often clashes with the time needed for armourers to ensure a set is safe, but that armourers have to be firm and demand safety in order to do their jobs well.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defence team is arguing that the “Rust” production was rushed and that she was not given the time she needed to do her job.

The state is trying to estalish that, as armourer, Gutierrez-Reed should have used her on-set authority to demand that filming slow down to adhere to safety standards.

Bodycam footage reveals Rust armourer’s reaction after Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘I just f***** up my entire career’

Thursday 29 February 2024 14:00 , Graig Graziosi

Body camera footage obtained from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office showed Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of Rust, lamenting her career in the hours after director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set.

Sante Fe County Sheriff’s Detective Alexandria Hancock was shown escorting Ms Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day of the shooting. On their walk to the bathroom Ms Gutierrez-Reed told her, “Welcome to the worst day of my life.”

She later expressed shock that actor and producer Baldwin was the one who was holding the gun.

“I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” she says.

READ MORE:

Armourer in ‘Rust’ trial laments end of career during Halyna Hutchins shooting trial

‘What the f*** that’s insane’: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts to ammo revelation

Thursday 29 February 2024 13:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts with shock when she learns that the casing of the bullet fired in the Halyna Hutchins shooting used components from a company that only produces bullet components — which are often used on film sets — and not live ammo.

The casings produced by the ammunition company can be “reloaded” and made into live rounds.

If a reloaded Starline Brass bullet was mixed with dummy ammunition using the same casings, they would be difficult to tell apart from one another without checking the individual bullet to ensure it is not live.

“What the f***, that’s insane,” Gutierrez-Reed said when she was shown the photos of the casings.

Trial recap: Courtroom chaos has plagued the trial

Thursday 29 February 2024 12:00 , Graig Graziosi

The court called for its afternoon break just after the stenographer’s machine broke, requiring engineers to be brought in before the trial can continue.

The trial thus far has had a number of strange hiccups that have affected the proceeding. On the first day, one of the jurors was involved in a car accident on the way to court, which forced the trial to delay opening statements for a few hours. Video and image components of the trial have frequently faltered and required technicians to fix, and at one point Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s cell phone number was leaked.

People watching livestreams of the trial via CourtTV copied down her number and some began to send her harassing text messages, which may have contributed to the trial ending several hours early on one of the hearing days.

The court is currently on break, and will return around 12:30 local time, 2:30 EST, assuming no further tech issues prevent its continuation.

Alec Baldwin, an armourer and an assistant director: Who was charged in Rust shooting death of Halyna Hutchins?

Thursday 29 February 2024 11:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin and two crew members were charged over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in January, after an exhaustive 15 month investigation.

Then on Thursday 20 April, weeks before the trial was due to begin, Baldwin’s attorneys announced a charge of involuntary manslaughter had been dismissed.

Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was also facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter, while first assistant director David Halls has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

READ MORE:

Who was charged in Rust shooting death of Halyna Hutchins?

Alec Baldwin to stand trial this summer on a charge stemming from deadly ‘Rust’ movie set shooting

Thursday 29 February 2024 10:00 , Graig Graziosi

A New Mexico judge has set a trial date for Alec Baldwin on an involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from a deadly shooting on the set of the movie “Rust.”

Read the full story here:

Alec Baldwin to stand trial this summer on a charge stemming from deadly 'Rust' movie set shooting

ICYMI: Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

Thursday 29 February 2024 09:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the New Mexico film set in 2021.

Prosecutors filed the felony charges against the actor, who allegedly pointed a gun at Hutchins that went off and fatally shot her, on Tuesday (31 January), according to Albuquerque TV station KOAT.

Hutchins died after being struck by a live bullet at Bonanza Creek Ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 21 October 2021. Joel Souza, the director of the film Rust, was also shot and injured but survived the incident.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

WATCH: Fatal 'Rust' shooting goes to trial

Thursday 29 February 2024 08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Trial recap: ‘Rust’ dolly grip gives emotional recollection of on-set shooting

Thursday 29 February 2024 07:00 , Graig Graziosi

During his testimony on Monday, ‘Rust’ dolly grip Ross Addiego, became emotional as he recalled the moments after the shooting on the film’s set.

His voice faltering slightly, he told the court: “She was quite clearly injured... [she was] starting to go flush and holding her right side.”

“Joel [Souza] let out some scream to indicate that he was also injured,” he said.

Mr Addiego said that he had attended to Mr Souza, the director of the film, before he and other crew members had moved a church pew so that they could lay Hutchins on the floor. He recalled telling the director to “get the f*** out of here,” and someone else had called 911.

He added that he had not heard “anything verbal” from Hutchins, just groans of pain.

“They were trying to stbilise her to get her in a helicopter to get her to whatever ER they thought was appropriate,” he said, again with a trembling voice.

At one point Mr Addiego took off his glasses to wipe his eyes.

Trial recap: Gutierrez-Reed says she’s ‘not sure’ how a live round got into one of her ammo boxes

Thursday 29 February 2024 06:00 , Graig Graziosi

The court saw video footage taken from Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s discussions with investigators.

She said that on the day of the shooting, she picked up a box of dummy ammunition and shook them to hear the “jingle.”

Dummy rounds are often hollow with a ball bearing inside to indicate they are not live rounds. The prosecution argued that Gutierrez-Reed would not have been able to ascertain that every round in the box was a dummy round.

Gutierrez-Reed later said she loaded every round into the revolver Alec Baldwin would ultimately use to shoot Halyna Hutchins. When investigators asked how that could be since a live round wound up in the car, Gutierrez-Reed said she did not know.

Images from the trial

Thursday 29 February 2024 04:59 , Graig Graziosi

‘I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** my whole entire career’

Thursday 29 February 2024 04:00 , Graig Graziosi

A video taken from the bodycamera footage of Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock was played in court. The footage shows Ms Hancock escorting Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot.

“Welcome to the worst day of my life,” Gutierrez-Reed says as the two walk toward the bathroom.

She later says “I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” Gutierrez-Reed says.

She also asks to be moved to another car to avoid being seen by her coworkers.

“I just want to get the f*** out of here and never show my face in this industry again,” she says.

When Ms Hancock asks her what about her background, she says she’s new to the industry but fears she’s ruined her career.

“I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** up my entire career,” she says.

WATCH: Alec Baldwin's Involuntary Manslaughter Trial Set For July

Thursday 29 February 2024 03:00 , Graig Graziosi

EXPLAINER — Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

Thursday 29 February 2024 02:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.

What is involuntary manslaughter?

The Santa Fe DA said that Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed would be “charged in the alternative” with two counts of manslaughter.

This means that a “jury would decide not simply if they were guilty, but under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty,” the DA said in a statement.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

Trial recap: Guttierez-Reed struggles to maintain composure while viewing autopsy photos

Thursday 29 February 2024 01:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Guttierez-Reed has maintained a generally stoic expression for the majority of the trial, but she appeared close to breaking on Tuesday when she was shown autopsy photos of Halyna Hutchins.

The photos were shown during the testimony of University of New Mexico Chief Medical Investigator Dr Heather Jarrell.

Dr Jarrell said that the photos showed Ms Hutchins before her wounds had been cleaned, as is typical practice for medical examiners.

Ms Guttierez-Reed was visibly disturbed by the images, and her eyes frequently darted away from the screen.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was “sloppy,” prosecutors say

Thursday 29 February 2024 00:12 , Julia Reinstein

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s colleagues called her “sloppy” and “unprofessional, ” prosecutor Jason Lewis said in opening statements last week.

“You will hear testimony that [Gutierrez-Reed] routinely left guns and ammunition lying around the set unattended and that her gun safe and ammo cart were constantly disorganized,” he said.

The involuntary manslaughter case against the Rust armourer will continue Thursday with more witness testimony.

Read more about key moments in the trial so far here.

Court adjourned for the day

Wednesday 28 February 2024 23:35 , Julia Reinstein

The trial has been adjourned for the day.

Testimony in the case will continue tomorrow.

Line producer wasn’t told about prior “accidental discharges"

Wednesday 28 February 2024 23:30 , Julia Reinstein

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed did not tell line producer Gabrielle Pickle about accidental discharges that took place on set prior to the shooting, Ms Pickle testified.

She is unsure if the armourer told anyone about them.

“I do not have knowledge of that,” she said.

Line producer details on set safety protocols

Wednesday 28 February 2024 23:22 , Julia Reinstein

Line producer Gabrielle Pickle continued her testimony about safety measures taken on set.

Gun safety training meetings were held regularly, though “not every day,” she said.

Ms Pickle also spoke about COVID-19 safety regulations.

“We tested, I cannot remember how often, but frequently. Everyone wore masks. We had hand sanitizer everywhere,” she said.

Guidance to maintain distance from other people was harder to follow, she explained.

“It was not often practical because filming takes place in small buildings…but yes, that was the goal,” she said.

Line producer Gabrielle Pickle takes the stand

Wednesday 28 February 2024 23:12 , Julia Reinstein

Gabrielle Pickle, a line producer who worked on the set of Rust, has taken the stand.

At one point, she recalled, Ms Gutierrez-Reed requested additional gun safety trainings for actors, including Alec Baldwin.

In a police interview shown to the court yesterday, Ms Gutierrez-Reed was heard telling detectives Mr Baldwin was “distracted” and “on his phone” for much of a training session.

Ms Pickle could not recall whether Ms Gutierrez-Reed told her the actor had not been paying attention.

Judge calls for a break after defence and prosecutors bicker

Wednesday 28 February 2024 21:53 , Graig Graziosi

The judge has called for a recess in the “Rust” shooting trial after the defence and prosecutors bickered about a piece of evidence.

Jason Bowles, the defence attorney questioning Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock, requested her to recall specific comments made during an interview with Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.

The prosecutors have objected to the defence’s line of questioning on the grounds that Ms Hancock either did not know certain information because she was not on set the day of the shooting or that the information in question is already entered to evidence in transcripts and should be reviewed that way.

“I’ve let you have your coffee, let’s focus here,” the judge said, trying to recentre the trial.

The defence continued and a prosecutor laughed at his question, leading Mr Bowles to ask if something was funny.

The judge then intervened again and called for the recess.

Defence asks why detective didn’t record all of her calls with Alec Baldwin

Wednesday 28 February 2024 21:37 , Graig Graziosi

Jason Bowles, who is representing Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, asked why Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock did not record all of her phone calls with Alec Baldwin, noting that he was a suspect in the shooting case of Halyna Hutchins.

Ms Hancock said she did not record all of their phone calls and is not required to under protocol. She said that recording equipment is not always available when phone calls occur.

Mr Bowles has been trying to make a case that Baldwin received different treatment from law enforcement than Gutierrez-Reed did during the investigation. During opening arguments he called Gutierrez-Reed an “easy target” and a “scapegoat” for Baldwin and the film’s production. He has stated that Baldwin is to blame for the shooting of Ms Hutchins.

Defence attorney questions source of found ammunition, revisits ‘sabotage’ angle

Wednesday 28 February 2024 21:01 , Graig Graziosi

Defence attorney Jason Bowles asked Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock if she remembers where Hannah Gutierrez-Reed said she received the ammunition used on the “Rust” set.

Gutierrez-Reed, in her first interview, said Seth Kenny, who provided the set with some of its ammunition, gave her the ammunition used during the shooting day.

Mr Bowles also asked Ms Hancock if she used a “ruse” to trick Gutierrez-Reed when her and another officer sat to talk with the armourer and asked if anyone on the camera crew — which walked off set the previous evening — would have reason to have sabotage the set.

He asked if she ever believed that theory, and she said no. She also insisted that they weren’t proposing a theory, but asking probing questions to learn more about the condition of the production.

Defence cross-examines Santa Fe County Detective Alexandria Hancock

Wednesday 28 February 2024 20:45 , Graig Graziosi

Defense attorney Jason Bowles is cross-exmaining a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective who interviewed Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

The defence is questioning statements she made during her testimony against earlier statements she told the judge regarding whether or not Gutierrez-Reed loaded Alec Baldwin’s revolver over her ammunition cart.

They reached an impasse, and Mr Bowles asked Ms Hancock to find a timestamp for when Gutierrez-Reed said she loaded the revolver over her prop cart.

Detective says Hannah Gutierrez-Reed loaded the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins

Wednesday 28 February 2024 20:34 , Graig Graziosi

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock said Hannah Gutierrez-Reed told her she had loaded the gun used by Alec Baldwin in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins.

Gutierrez-Reed says she ‘never, not once’ used live ammunition on set

Wednesday 28 February 2024 20:24 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed told investigators during a 9 November 2021 interview that she “never, not once” used live ammuniton on set, and said that the crew never went shooting with the set weapons.

She said the crew would have “been stoked” to take the guns out and go shooting.

‘What the f*** that’s insane’: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts to ammo revelation

Wednesday 28 February 2024 20:21 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed reacts with shock when she learns that the casing of the bullet fired in the Halyna Hutchins shooting used components from a company that only produces bullet components — which are often used on film sets — and not live ammo.

The casings produced by the ammunition company can be “reloaded” and made into live rounds.

If a reloaded Starline Brass bullet was mixed with dummy ammunition using the same casings, they would be difficult to tell apart from one another without checking the individual bullet to ensure it is not live.

“What the f***, that’s insane,” Gutierrez-Reed said when she was shown the photos of the casings.

The trial has resumed — Gutierrez-Reed is seen on videos saying she wanted to train with Alec Baldwin but producers shut it down

Wednesday 28 February 2024 19:50 , Graig Graziosi

The trial has resumed after an afternoon break and tech failure.

Video of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed speaking with investigators is still being shown to the jury.

During the video, Gutierrez-Reed said she wanted to do more firearms training with star and producer Alec Baldwin, which he reportedly agreed to do, but said the trianing was shut down by the film’s producers.

Courtroom chaos has plagued the trial

Wednesday 28 February 2024 19:11 , Graig Graziosi

The court called for its afternoon break just after the stenographer’s machine broke, requiring engineers to be brought in before the trial can continue.

The trial thus far has had a number of strange hiccups that have affected the proceeding. On the first day, one of the jurors was involved in a car accident on the way to court, which forced the trial to delay opening statements for a few hours. Video and image components of the trial have frequently faltered and required technicians to fix, and at one point Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s cell phone number was leaked.

People watching livestreams of the trial via CourtTV copied down her number and some began to send her harassing text messages, which may have contributed to the trial ending several hours early on one of the hearing days.

The court is currently on break, and will return around 12:30 local time, 2:30 EST, assuming no further tech issues prevent its continuation.

Bodycam footage reveals Rust armourer’s reaction after Alec Baldwin shooting: ‘I just f***** up my entire career’

Wednesday 28 February 2024 18:46 , Graig Graziosi

Body camera footage obtained from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office showed Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of Rust, lamenting her career in the hours after director of photography Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set.

Sante Fe County Sheriff’s Detective Alexandria Hancock was shown escorting Ms Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day of the shooting. On their walk to the bathroom Ms Gutierrez-Reed told her, “Welcome to the worst day of my life.”

She later expressed shock that actor and producer Baldwin was the one who was holding the gun.

“I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” she says.

READ MORE:

Armourer in ‘Rust’ trial laments end of career during Halyna Hutchins shooting trial

Gutierrez-Reed says she’s ‘not sure’ how a live round got into one of her ammo boxes

Wednesday 28 February 2024 16:36 , Graig Graziosi

The court saw video footage taken from Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s discussions with investigators.

She said that on the day of the shooting, she picked up a box of dummy ammunition and shook them to hear the “jingle.”

Dummy rounds are often hollow with a ball bearing inside to indicate they are not live rounds. The prosecution argued that Gutierrez-Reed would not have been able to ascertain that every round in the box was a dummy round.

Gutierrez-Reed later said she loaded every round into the revolver Alec Baldwin would ultimately use to shoot Halyna Hutchins. When investigators asked how that could be since a live round wound up in the car, Gutierrez-Reed said she did not know.

This morning — trial continues with more video footage of Gutierrez-Reed

Wednesday 28 February 2024 15:58 , Graig Graziosi

The involuntary manslaughter trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of ‘Rust,” has resumed.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock is testifying for the state. The state has shown hours of video footage featuring Gutierrez-Reed speaking with police in the aftermath of the shooting.

This morning, the footage features Gutierrez-Reed talking about accidental discharges on the film’s set.

Watch the ‘Rust’ trial with The Independent

Wednesday 28 February 2024 15:39 , Graig Graziosi

Live: Rust trial continues for armorer Hannah Gutierrez charged with involuntary manslaughter

‘I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** my whole entire career’

Wednesday 28 February 2024 14:00 , Graig Graziosi

A video taken from the bodycamera footage of Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock was played in court. The footage shows Ms Hancock escorting Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot.

“Welcome to the worst day of my life,” Gutierrez-Reed says as the two walk toward the bathroom.

She later says “I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” Gutierrez-Reed says.

She also asks to be moved to another car to avoid being seen by her coworkers.

“I just want to get the f*** out of here and never show my face in this industry again,” she says.

When Ms Hancock asks her what about her background, she says she’s new to the industry but fears she’s ruined her career.

“I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** up my entire career,” she says.

‘Sloppy’ armourer or ‘easy target’: Key moments so far from Rust shooting trial

Wednesday 28 February 2024 13:00 , Graig Graziosi

The subsequent investigation into the shooting resulted in both Alec Baldwin and the production’s armourerHannah Gutierez-Reed facing involuntary manslaughter charges.

Ms Gutierrez-Reed’s trial began in mid-February. She has pleaded not guilty to two charges of involuntary manslaughter and a charge of tampering with evidence.

Prosecutors have accused Ms Gutierez-Reed – who in her role was in charge of maintaining the safety and functionality of firearms on the movie set – was negligent on set, that she brought live rounds to the production, one of which was the bullet that killed Hutchins.

Here are the key revelations from the trial – so far:

‘Sloppy’ armourer or ‘easy target’: Key moments so far from Rust shooting trial

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective says no one she talked to agreed with defence attorney’s ‘sabotage’ theory

Wednesday 28 February 2024 12:00 , Graig Graziosi

The state has called Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office detective Alexandria Hancock.

She discussed having conversations with numerous people associated with the “Rust” shooting, including Thell Reed, the armourer father of Hannah Guttierez-Reed.

She also said that of all the people she talked with since 2021, she never found anyone corroborating defence attorney Jason Bowles theory that someone “sabotaged” Guttierez-Reed by bringing live ammuniton to the set.

Images from ‘Rust’ trial

Wednesday 28 February 2024 11:00 , Graig Graziosi

EXPLAINER — Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

Wednesday 28 February 2024 10:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the on-set death of Halyna Hutchins, the Santa Fe District Attorney has said.

What is involuntary manslaughter?

The Santa Fe DA said that Mr Baldwin and Ms Gutierrez-Reed would be “charged in the alternative” with two counts of manslaughter.

This means that a “jury would decide not simply if they were guilty, but under which definition of involuntary manslaughter they were guilty,” the DA said in a statement.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin: What is involuntary manslaughter and the expected sentence?

ICYMI: Forensic firearms analyst says ammo taken from New Mexico prop shop was different from live bullet found on set

Wednesday 28 February 2024 09:00 , Graig Graziosi

Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services testified to the court today that the bullets he examined — which were collected from the New Mexico prop shop that provided ammunition to the set of “Rust” — were not the same as the live round that was recovered from the set.

The prosecution is trying to undermine the defence’s argument that the prop shop could have accidentally sent a live round to the set.

ICYMI: Guttierez-Reed struggles to maintain composure while viewing autopsy photos

Wednesday 28 February 2024 08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Hannah Guttierez-Reed has maintained a generally stoic expression for the majority of the trial, but she appeared close to breaking on Tuesday when she was shown autopsy photos of Halyna Hutchins.

The photos were shown during the testimony of University of New Mexico Chief Medical Investigator Dr Heather Jarrell.

Dr Jarrell said that the photos showed Ms Hutchins before her wounds had been cleaned, as is typical practice for medical examiners.

Ms Guttierez-Reed was visibly disturbed by the images, and her eyes frequently darted away from the screen.

WATCH: Fatal 'Rust' shooting goes to trial

Wednesday 28 February 2024 07:00 , Graig Graziosi

ICYMI: Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

Wednesday 28 February 2024 06:00 , Graig Graziosi

Alec Baldwin has been formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the New Mexico film set in 2021.

Prosecutors filed the felony charges against the actor, who allegedly pointed a gun at Hutchins that went off and fatally shot her, on Tuesday (31 January), according to Albuquerque TV station KOAT.

Hutchins died after being struck by a live bullet at Bonanza Creek Ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 21 October 2021. Joel Souza, the director of the film Rust, was also shot and injured but survived the incident.

READ MORE:

Alec Baldwin formally charged with involuntary manslaughter over Rust shooting

FBI firearms expert says Rust revolver ‘would not fire’ unless someone pulled the trigger

Wednesday 28 February 2024 04:59 , Graig Graziosi

Earlier in the trial, an FBI firearms expert who studied and tested the revolver used in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” testified that, after analysis, he determined the gun could not fire unless someone pulled the trigger.

“It would not fire without pulling the trigger in the full cock position,” FBI forensic examiner Bryce Ziegler said.

His statement contradicts the claims made by actor and producer Alec Baldwin, who had drawn the gun in the moments before the shot that killed Ms Hutchins was fired. Baldwin has insisted that he did not pull the trigger.

Mr Ziegler said he had to break the revolver using a mallet in order to force it to fire without a trigger pull.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website