‘Rust’ Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s “Unprofessional & Sloppy” Conduct Caused Halyna Hutchins’ Death, Prosecutor Tells Jury In Trial Opening Day

deadline.com:

“Ms. Gutierrez was negligent on the set,” prosecutors bluntly told a Santa Fe jury today in the opening day of the trial of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for the fatal on-set shooting of  cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021. “We intend to call several witnesses to give testimony that she regularly failed to properly carry out her duties as an armorer,” special prosecutor Jason Lewis went on say as the defendant sat nearby. “These witnesses are going to describe the defendants conduct was unprofessional and sloppy,” he added.

Augmenting his opening statement by showing the courtroom a photo of the long barrel Colt gun that shot Hutchins, video of star Alec Baldwin practicing drawing his gun on-set and boxed live round gun cartridges Lewis stated, “you will hear testimony that she routinely left guns and ammunition lying around the set unattended and that her gun safe and ammo cart were constantly disorganized.” With a trial for Rust star/producer Baldwin now looking to begin this summer, Gutierrez-Reed herself is looking at up to three years behind bars if found guilty in the killing of Hutchins.

The former armorer’s trial is expected to last until around March 8 – though Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer initially said “May 8” in her opening remarks to the jury Thursday.

Everything started a little later than planned due to a juror being “stuck in an accident,” according to Judge Sommer this morning.