(NewsSpace.com) – When cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of “Rust” in October 2021, it shocked the nation and many wondered how such a tragic accident could occur. In the months and years following the incident, both Alec Baldwin and the movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin still has yet to go to trial, but Gutierrez-Reed has already been tried and convicted. She was recently sentenced.
On Monday, April 15, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer handed down an 18-month prison sentence despite the armorer and her attorneys pleading for leniency in the form of probation. It was the maximum allowable time for the offense. Her legal team already plans to appeal her conviction.
However, the judge made it clear that Gutierrez-Reed “alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon” and was responsible for the death that took Hutchins away from her husband and son. The prosecution used phone calls the armorer made while in prison against her. She had allegedly accused the judge of being “paid off,” called the jurors who convicted her “idiots,” and said she wanted to see Baldwin thrown in jail. The prosecution argued that these statements displayed a lack of remorse and warranted a full sentence, lest she get a “pass.”
The defense, on the other hand, argued that Gutierrez-Reed was being made into a scapegoat. Gutierrez-Reed pointed to a lack of resources and inadequate staffing as reasons why the accident happened, saying she tried her best and was “naive” and “young” while in the position.
The impact statements in the sentencing hearing came from Hutchins’ family, friends, and even director Joel Souza. They were emotional, with several tears shed as they described the sense of loss they felt with Hutchins’ death.
Following the hearing, Gutierrez-Reed was remanded to custody. Alec Baldwin is set to begin trial in July for involuntary manslaughter.
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