Convicted ‘Rust’ Armorer Seeking New Trial Following Alec Baldwin Case Dismissal

The woman convicted in the death of ‘Rust’ cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is asking for a new trial after actor Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case was dismissed last week.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was the armorer on the set responsible for the safety of firearms, filed an expedited motion on Tuesday with the request, Fox News reported. She is currently serving an 18-month sentence for her role in Hutchins’ death.

Gutierrez Reed’s attorneys noted that “Baldwin’s trial exposes extreme misconduct,” adding that “Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey lies to this court under oath.”

Last week, on the third day of Baldwin’s trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the charge against him, ruling that prosecutors hid evidence from the defense. Sommer made the ruling after Baldwin’s defense attorney, Luke Nikas, said prosecutors had withheld bullets that had been turned over to investigators.

Sommer ruled that the prosecution was “highly culpable for its failure to provide discovery to the defendant,” thus warranting the case to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning prosecutors can’t regroup and try Baldwin again.

“The late discovery of this evidence has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings,” Sommer ruled. “There is no way for the court to right this wrong. The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy.”

Reed was responsible for ensuring the safety of the gun Baldwin was using in the film. On October 21, 2021, Baldwin began filming a scene when the gun he was holding fired a live round that killed Hutchins and injured the film’s director, Joel Souza.

An assistant director reportedly yelled “cold gun” as he handed a prop weapon to Alec Baldwin. Court documents showed that assistant director David Halls yelled “cold gun” to indicate that the prop weapon did not contain live rounds. Halls handed Baldwin one of three prop guns that had been set up by an armorer, unaware that the prop gun contained a live round, according to an affidavit for a search warrant, ABC News reported in 2021.

Baldwin was an executive producer on the film, which is why he was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He faced up to 18 months in prison if he had been convicted. “Rust” was canceled after the incident, and it is unclear when or if Baldwin will return to movies or television.