The ruling was issued by Choose Mary Marlowe Sommer. Gutierrez Reed confronted a doable sentence of 18 months in state jail. Plaintiffs have argued Court filings To obtain the total sentence for her “recklessness” and “full and full failure to simply accept duty for her actions,” as evidenced by recorded jail cellphone conversations.
Gutierrez-Reed cried within the courtroom as witnesses learn statements from Hutchins and her household. Upon listening to the decision, her face remained stoic and unmoving.
“I discover that what you probably did constitutes a critical and violent crime,” Sommer mentioned after the decision was learn. “It was dedicated in a bodily violent method, with a deadly shot fired due to your recklessness within the face of the data that your actions had been moderately prone to end in critical hurt.
“You had been the armorer. The one who stood between a secure weapon and a weapon that might kill somebody. You alone turned a secure weapon right into a lethal weapon,” Sommer mentioned.
Monday’s ruling stems from an incident that occurred in October 2021 through the filming of “Rust.” Throughout filming, Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene with a gun when the gun went off with reside ammunition, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin, who claimed he by no means pulled the set off, was indicted by a grand jury Manslaughter in January With a trial group for this summer time.
Prosecutors mentioned Gutierrez-Reed’s “unprofessional and sloppy” habits led to reside ammunition being current on the set, which in the end led to Hutchins’ loss of life. Prosecutors alleged in courtroom filings that the gunsmith was pinned whereas loading the gun and tampered with proof by delivering medicine to a different particular person concerned within the movie.
Prosecutors reiterated their name for an 18-month jail sentence within the courtroom Monday, saying Gutierrez Reed’s recorded cellphone conversations from jail present a scarcity of regret.
“As an alternative of accepting duty, she selected responsible the witnesses who testified towards her, you and me, the jurors, the paramedic and the paramedics who tried to save lots of Ms. Hutchins’ life,” Particular Prosecutor Carrie Morrissey mentioned. courtroom corridor.
Witnesses who spoke on behalf of Hutchins and her household largely praised the cinematographer. Her agent famous that Hutchins noticed “Rust” as an excellent profession alternative, whereas her buddies and colleagues remembered her parenting expertise, outgoing habits and love of sweets. Many blamed the movie trade on the whole for what occurred on the set of “Rust.” Witnesses additionally blamed Gutierrez Reed, saying she deserved the utmost punishment.
Souza, the “Rust” director who was injured within the 2021 taking pictures, mentioned in a Google Meet video that he needs the taking pictures had by no means occurred.
“I discovered it tough to know what to say right here right this moment as a result of what I need is solely not doable,” he mentioned. “I need none of this to ever occur, for everybody to be okay, for lives to not be destroyed, and worst of all, for Halena’s life to not be misplaced.”
Prosecutors shared a video from Hutchins’ mom, Olga Solovey, who’s Ukrainian. “The day she died destroyed my whole life,” she mentioned, in response to translations because the video was performed within the courtroom. “That day turned all the things the wrong way up. It is vitally tough with out her. Each minute I wait to fulfill her once more.
The prosecution additionally performed a memorial slideshow that includes pictures of Hutchins set to the tune of Pink Floyd’s “Want You Had been Right here.”
However the protection argued that Gutierrez-Reed was rushed to do her job and was not given sufficient assets to correctly put together weapons on set. Her legal professional, Jason Bowles, mentioned Baldwin’s failure to correctly deal with the gun throughout filming led to the deadly taking pictures.
“I am begging you, please do not give me any extra time,” Gutierrez-Reid mentioned in her assertion earlier than the decision was learn. “The jury discovered me partly at fault on this horrible tragedy. However that does not make me a monster. That makes me human.”
Gutierrez Reed’s sentencing and trial was a glimpse of what Baldwin may face When his trial begins on July 9. Baldwin was initially charged with manslaughter by New Mexico prosecutors in January 2023 Earlier than these The charges were dropped Prosecutors sought extra time to research. Baldwin mentioned he pulled the gun’s hammer — not the set off — whereas taking pictures. however A forensic expert noted That the gun can’t go off with out pulling the set off. If convicted, Baldwin additionally faces 18 months in jail.
It is a growing story that might be up to date.
Samantha Cherry contributed to this report.
