Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer responsible for firearms on the set of the Western film "Rust," has been sentenced to the maximum penalty of 18 months in prison for her role in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer handed down the sentence on Monday, following Gutierrez Reed's conviction for involuntary manslaughter last month.
During the sentencing hearing, the judge referenced Gutierrez Reed's lack of remorse, stating, "Your attorney had to tell the court you were remorseful." She added, "You were the armorer who stood between a safe weapon and a weapon that could kill someone. For you, she would be alive."
Prosecutors sought the maximum penalty, with New Mexico special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey citing Gutierrez Reed's jail phone calls as evidence of her true character. Morrissey stated that the calls "tell us who she really is" and that she does not take responsibility for Hutchins' death, instead placing blame on witnesses and the legal system.
Emotional victim impact statements were read during the hearing, including one from Hutchins' agent, Craig Mizrahi, which brought Gutierrez Reed to tears. "Rust" director Joel Souza, who was also injured during the incident, spoke virtually, expressing the difficulty of the past two and a half years and his desire for everyone damaged by Gutierrez Reed's failures to find peace.
Hutchins' mother, speaking in a pre-recorded video from her native Ukraine, sobbed as she recalled the profound impact of her daughter's loss, saying, "It's extremely difficult without her. There are no words to describe, time does not heal."
In her plea for probation, Gutierrez Reed addressed the court, stating that Hutchins "will always be an inspiration" and that her "heart goes out." She added, "I beg you please don't give me more time."
The almost two-week criminal trial focused on the events surrounding the fatal shooting, in which actor Alec Baldwin held a prop gun that fired a live round, killing Hutchins and injuring Souza. Special prosecutor Morrissey argued that Gutierrez Reed "was negligent, she was careless, she was thoughtless," while the armorer's attorney, Jason Bowles, maintained that the prosecution had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that his client was responsible for bringing live rounds onto the set.
Bowles also alleged that Baldwin was ultimately responsible for Hutchins' death, stating, "What caused her to pass was Mr. Baldwin going off-script and pointing the weapon." Baldwin, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter, is set to stand trial in July.
In recorded jail phone conversations with her mother, boyfriend, and her attorney's paralegal, Gutierrez Reed referred to jurors as "idiots" and "a--holes" while complaining about the length of deliberations. She also expressed her unwillingness to testify in Baldwin's upcoming trial if subpoenaed and her desire to see him face jail time as well.
