Armourer who handed gun to Alec Baldwin found guilty over fatal movie set shooting
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer who handed actor Alec Baldwin a gun on the set of Rust , was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
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A jury has found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the accidental 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The armourer who gave Alec Baldwin a gun on the set of the doomed movie Rust did not take the stand in her own defence during the trial, which lasted nearly two weeks.
The jury deliberated for 2.5 hours before delivering the verdict on Wednesday. She was found not guilty of evidence tampering.
Gutierrez-Reed did not react as the verdicts were read out, but appeared to be in disbelief when the judge ordered she be taken into custody.
Loved ones and supporters gathered in the Santa Fe courtroom were visibly upset. Her sentencing was set for April, but an exact date is to be determined. She faces up to 18 months in prison.
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting. His trial will begin on 9 July.
Prosecutors said Gutierrez-Reed is to blame for unwittingly bringing live ammunition on set and that she flouted basic safety protocols for weapons handling.
The defence said she was unfairly scapegoated for problems beyond her control, including Mr Baldwin’s handling of the weapons.
State’s final argument to the jury
Morrissey has another chance to speak to the jury.
She tells the court that she knows Gutierrez-Reed didn’t know there was a live round on set.
“If she knew, she wouldn’t be charged with involuntary manslaughter, she’d be charged with second-degree murder,” she said.
Morrissey then adds that Gutierrez-Reed didn’t know there were live rounds on set because of her own negligence, recklessness, and willful disregard for the safety of other people.
“It is shocking for Mr. Bowles to come up to this podium and say it wasn’t foreseeable that Alec Baldwin would go off…”
“It is her job to say to an A-list actor, ‘hey, you can’t behave that way with those firearms.’ That is her job. That is what they pay her for. That is the job that she applied for. That is the job that she accepted.”
“This is 100 percent foreseeable.”
State wraps closing arguments and calls for a guilty verdict and justice for Halyna Hutchins
“This is 100% foreseeable. Ms Gutierrez is not a scapegoat, she is not being treated as a scapegoat. Mr Halls was charged criminally, Mr. Baldwin has been indicted. She is not being scapegoated, she is being treated like everyone else. She is not being given a break because she is a woman or because she is young because that’s not how the law works.”
Morrissey then goes over the jury instructions in an attempt to clarify reasonable doubt.
“When you are back there talking about doubt, make sure it’s a reasonable one under these set of circumstances.”
She then asks the jury for a guilty verdict and asks them to bring justice to Halyna Hutchins. Jury will now begin deliberations.
Jury begins deliberations in ‘Rust’ trial
Closing arguments wrapped on Wednesday afternoon in the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed.
The jury was sent out of the courtroom at 1.20pmMT/3.20pmET to begin deliberations.
She is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed leaves court while jurors deliberate her fate
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was seen walking out of court in New Mexico on Wednesday following closing arguments.
Jurors are now deliberating on whether find her guilty or not guilty on the charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering in connection to the accidental 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Four possible verdicts for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed
There are four possible verdicts in the first count of involuntary manslaughter.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said Gutierrez could be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, guilty of negligent use of a firearm or not guilty of negligent use of a firearm.
A lesser, misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a firearm is included in the first count of involuntary manslaughter.
The jurors will only deliberate on the negligent use of a firearm charge if they find Gutierrez not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, the judge said during jury instructions.
A second charge against Gutierrez-Reed of evidence tampering stems from accusations that she handed a small bag of possible narcotics to another crew member after the shooting to avoid detection.
The felony charges against Gutierrez-Reed carry a possible sentence of up to three years in prison.
Jury has a question
The jury has alerted the judge that they have a question.
They have been deliberating for about two hours.
Jury back to deliberating
The jury has a question about the language of instruction 20.
The judge told the jurors there wasn’t anything that could be done to help decipher that phrase in the paragraph, according to NewsnNation’s Alex Caprariello who is in the courtroom.
Verdict reached after 2.5 hours
The jury has reached a verdict in the Hannah Gutierrez-Reed trial after 2.5 hours of deliberating.
The courtroom is filling up as we wait for the jury.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is now in the courtroom
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has entered the courtroom to hear the verdict in her case.
Court will resume shortly.
Jury finds Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter
A jury has found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter and not guilty of evidence tampering.
The jury comes 2.5 hours of deliberations.
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