A New Mexico jury found “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter, Wednesday.
She was found not guilty of tampering with evidence, according to NBC News. The jurors deliberated for about two and a half hours before reaching their verdict. The 26-year-old will now face up to 18 monhts in prison, to be determined at an as-yet unscheduled sentencing hearing. The judge ordered that Gutierrez-Reed be taken into custody immediately, where she will be held until her sentencing, according to NBC News.
GUILTY: Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter in just 2 HOURS of jury deliberation in New Mexico today. She was immediately taken into custody. pic.twitter.com/fjgFIFGR6n
— Craig R. Brittain (@RealBrittain) March 7, 2024
Juror Albert Sanchez said “pretty much not checking the weapons” was the major factor that led him to make his decision in the Gutierrez-Reed case.
“Just handing them over, like ‘here.’ Not checking — that was a big deal,” Sanchez said.
He went on to explain his reaction to that aspect of the case by saying, “I mean, you can’t do that. And if you have live rounds there, and you don’t even know it?” according to NBC News.
Juror Albert Sanchez talks with me about the key piece of evidence that resulted in today’s conviction and why the jury did not convict Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on the evidence tampering charge.
📷: Gisele Lamarre @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/9zKATBhKFl— Dana Griffin (@DanaGriffinNBC) March 6, 2024
Special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey told the jury that Gutierrez-Reed “was negligent, she was careless, she was thoughtless,” during the prosecution’s closing arguments. He went on to say Gutierrez-Reed was more “worried about her career” than the victims in this case, according to NBC News.
Props expert Guillaume Delouche at Independent Studio Services holds a prop gun while talking about them in Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles, California on October 22, 2021. – The fatal shooting of a crew member by actor Alec Baldwin during the making of a movie in the western United States has raised questions over the use of guns on film sets. Photo by DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles pushed back by saying the prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gutierrez-Reed was the person responsible for bringing live rounds to the “Rust” movie set. He went on to allege Baldwin was the person responsible for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins because he was ultimately the one who pulled the trigger. The same bullet also injured director Joel Souza.
US actor Alec Baldwin walks on the set at Piazza della Pace (Peace’s square) in central Rome during the filming of US film director Woody Allen’s movie, The Bop Decameron, on July 25, 2011. “Photo credit should read TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images
“I submit to you what caused her death is Mr. Baldwin going off script. No one ever knew there would be a live round on set,” Bowles said. “The only act is the pointing of the weapon. Ms Gutierrez didn’t point that weapon.”
Halyna Hutchins attends the SAGindie Sundance Filmmakers Reception at Cafe Terigo on January 28, 2019 in Park City, Utah. Photo by Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie
Gutierrez-Reed maintained a neutral facial expression and showed little emotion as the jury foreperson read the verdicts aloud.
She reportedly took off her necklace before a deputy took her into custody. (RELATED: New Video Of Alec Baldwin Rushing ‘Rust’ Armorer Emerges In Court)
US actor Alec Baldwin is being sued by a “Rust” crew member over the fatal on-set shooting of a cinematographer last month, lawyers said Wednesday. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Baldwin will prepare for his criminal trial which is set to begin in July, while Gutierrez-Reed awaits sentencing from behind bars.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that Gutierrez-Reed could face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.