Hannah Gutiérrez-Reed, the weapons manager on the set of the film "Rust," was sentenced to 18 months in prison for her involvement in the tragic death of the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, which occurred in 2021 during filming.
New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer announced her decision this Monday after reprimanding Gutiérrez for not taking responsibility for what happened.
"You were the armorer. You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive, a husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother," the judge said.
Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March after accidentally loading a live bullet into the revolver used by actor Alec Baldwin during filming.
"She was negligent, she was careless, she was thoughtless," prosecutor Kari Morrissey said during the trial, accusing Gutiérrez of failing to follow essential safety procedures and acting without caution in performing her duties.
Gutiérrez-Reed's defense asked the judge to consider probation, arguing that the incident resulted from a "chain tragedy" with multiple system failures. However, Judge Sommer denied this request, stating that probation would not be appropriate and that, given the seriousness of the case, allowing Gutierrez-Reed to avoid prison would be unfair.
Gutiérrez-Reed's sentence is so far the most substantial criminal consequence for Hutchins' death. The 18 months in prison coincide with what the prosecution requested after showing phone calls from jail in which the gunsmith blamed Baldwin and others for the shooting and said that the judge had been "paid off."
The trial for Baldwin, also a co-producer of the film, is scheduled for July 10. He is being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
