Prosecutors in the “Rust” shooting case presented text messages to jurors that appeared to show armorer Hannah Guiterrez Reed was using drugs the day before the fatal on-set shooting.
The shooting claimed the life of 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins after Alec Baldwin fired a real bullet from a prop gun that was not supposed to contain live ammunition. Guiterrez Reed was responsible for the firearms on set. Prosecutors showed text messages in court, Friday appearing to show she was allegedly smoking marijuana the night before Hutchins was killed, according to Variety.
GABRIELA CAMPOS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
One of the texts was sent from Guiterrez Reed to a fellow crew member, Oct. 20, 2021.
Gutierrez Reed wrote: “Right on, I might go smoke in the jacuzzi soon, but maybe not I’m so pooped,” according to Variety.
“Headed down to get high out back: b,” she wrote in a secondary text.
Rich Polk/Getty Images
The crew member and Guiterrez Reed reportedly shared additional texts throughout the evening, one of which appeared to show she confirmed she had allegedly used drugs that evening. Her castmate wrote, “How’d the blaze sess go?” to which Gutierrez Reed replied, “I’m still smoking,” according to Variety.
Prosecutors centered the case around Gutierrez Reed’s alleged sloppiness and lack of attentiveness on set. They claimed her alleged lack of professionalism led to Hutchins’ death.
Fred Hayes/Getty Images
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer permitted the prosecution to introduce a limited number of text messages that referenced the armorer’s alleged drug use, during the pre-trial hearing. The prosecution went on to argue that Gutierrez Reed was smoking marijuana while in possession of ammunition that was used on set, according to Variety. (RELATED: Groundbreaking New Footage From ‘Rust’ Set Depicts Alec Baldwin In A New Light)
Gutierrez Reed faces up to three years in prison if convicted of both involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering.