During the filming of the upcoming Western film Rust in New Mexico on October 21, 2021, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed, and director Joel Souza was injured by an accidental live round fired from Alec Baldwin’s revolver. Now, attention once again will turn to Baldwin’s trial after the jury recently found the weapons supervisor guilty of involuntary manslaughter concerning Hutchins’ death on the film set.
Yes, the jury found the armorer accountable for the incident and guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday. The armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was put on trial by the prosecution for failing to properly inspect the gun and for bringing live rounds onto the set of a film, which was not permitted.
In the wake of the tragic shooting incident, where Baldwin, 65, accidentally fired a gun, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza, one crew member has made it abundantly apparent that justice will not be swept aside.
The Role of a Rust Crew Member in the Alec Baldwin Tragedy
Alec Baldwin, who has been under intense scrutiny and blame since the tragic shooting incident that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, is one step closer to justice with the recent conviction of the armorer from the Rust set. However, one of the crew members seems to have made it clear that they will not let Baldwin off the hook, as they continue to demand accountability and transparency in the aftermath of this tragic event.
Concerns regarding Baldwin’s involvement in the Rust case were voiced by Ross Addagio, the set’s camera dolly operator. He gave a statement (via Reuters):
“I don’t recall anybody standing up to Mr. Baldwin on the set of Rust.”
Addagio also stated that armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was not as “professional and serious” as the other armorers he worked with. Meanwhile, Baldwin was the most influential producer on the set, according to testimony given by photographer Karen Kuehn during the defense. Referring to him as the “boss”, she claimed not to have witnessed anyone say “no” to him.
The Aviator actor was defended by David Halls, the first assistant director, who has already been found guilty in this case (see CNN). The latter claimed that Baldwin acted in a manner that was common to many other actors who were enjoying the rush of filming (via Reuters):
“There was never any Mr Baldwin rushing anyone.”
With his trial scheduled for July, Baldwin has currently entered a not-guilty plea to an involuntary manslaughter charge (per Deadline).
Rust Armorer Found Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter
The jury found a movie weapons supervisor guilty yesterday (6 March) of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Alec Baldwin’s shooting death of a cinematographer during Rust filming, we learned from ABC News.
The actor claimed that when he pulled back the hammer, the gun fired but he did not pull the trigger. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed in October 2021. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the person in charge of the movie’s weapons, was found guilty on the same charge on Wednesday and faces a maximum sentence of eighteen months in prison as well as a fine of $5,000.
Alberto Sanchez, a juror, said outside the courtroom that it was simple for the jury to conclude that Gutierrez-Reed had failed to perform sufficient gun safety inspections as-
“That was her job to check those rounds and those firearms.”
On February 23, last year, Baldwin entered a not-guilty plea. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter once again this year on January 19 and pleaded not guilty on January 31. His trial is set for July 9, 2024, to July 19, 2024.
May this case serve as a catalyst to bring about change in the industry, ensuring that tragedies like this will never happen again.
