Rust armourer appeals conviction over fatal shooting before Alec Baldwin's trial

15 May 2024 , 13:55

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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is appealing her sentence

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is appealing her sentence after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.

Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced last month to 18 months in prison for her involvement in the death of the movie executive. The Ukrainian cinematographer was shot dead on the set in New Mexico October 2021 after a gun Gutierrez-Reed handed to actor Alec Baldwin discharged live rounds. Director Joel Souza was also injured in the incident.

Now, Gutierrez-Reed has filed an appeal. Her legal team has 30 days to submit detailed arguments of her case after they previously requested a new trial following the verdict. They had initially requested Gutierrez-Reed was released while she appealed, but a judge is yet to rule.

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Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of Rust

After the sentencing, her representatives motioned: "Ms. Gutierrez Reed is requesting to be released while she appeals, as if her appeal is successful, she will have served most or all of her sentence anyway, rendering a large part of the appeal meaningless."

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The update comes as Baldwin is yet to face trial for his involvement in the tragedy. He has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge and is trying to get the case thrown out before the summer.

The sentence initially given to Gutierrez-Reed was said to be potential "bad news" for Baldwin. Los Angeles personal injury attorney Miguel Custodio, co-founder of Custodio and Dubey LLP, told The Mirror at the time that her sentencing "shows the court is taking this fatal shooting seriously and that it’s not just for show as [Baldwin's] defenders claim."

Alec Baldwin is set for trial in July (Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office)

He went on to suggest a plea deal could be a good idea for the actor. "Baldwin may think that he will have an easier time if he believes that his team can convince a jury to see that the only culpable party has already been convicted," he explained.

"That’s a risky proposition, given Baldwin’s role as a producer actually involves him in all aspects of the production. Potential jurors will clearly know what went on with Gutierrez-Reed and will really scrutinise Baldwin’s lack of responsibility for the chaos on the set."

Baldwin's case is set to take place in July. Jury selection is set to begin on July 9 and the full trial is expected to last from July 10 to 19.

Jamie Roberts