Hannah Gutiérrez-Reed, who was the gunsmith on the set of Oxide at the time of the accidental shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Gutierrez-Reed was convicted by a 12-person jury Wednesday after less than three hours of deliberation. He now faces up to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter, but in a split verdict, Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted of separate charges of tampering with evidence.
The charges against Gutiérrez-Reed stemmed from the accidental shooting of Hutchins on the set of the western. Oxide in October 2021. Actor and producer Alec Baldwin was handling the gun when it accidentally discharged, hitting Hutchins in the stomach and director Joel Souza in the shoulder; Hutchins died after being transported to the hospital.
During the trial, Gutiérrez-Reed's defense claimed that the “superiors” involved in the crime were treating her as a “convenient scapegoat.” Oxideincluding Baldwin and other producers, and cited a OSHA ruling that he was denied the authority to determine whether additional firearms safety training was necessary.
However, special prosecutor Kerri Morrissey argued that Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for a “staggering” breach of security protocol. The jury ultimately agreed that Gutierrez-Reed acted with “willful disregard for the safety of others.” and that Hutchins' death was “foreseeable.”
In ConsequenceIn the 2021 investigation, it was reported that Gutiérrez-Reed had been linked to several mistakes and accidents on the set before the shooting, including numerous mishaps on the set of the Western starring Nic Cage. The old way. According to Stu Brumbaugh, who was key responsible for The old wayGutiérrez-Reed was hired despite her inexperience to cut costs, but ultimately put the cast and crew in several unnecessarily dangerous situations.
Meanwhile, the film's assistant director, Dave Halls, accepted a plea deal to resolve a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.
As for Baldwin, he also faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter and is expected to go to trial this summer on July 6. Prosecutors first announced that he was being charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, but the charges were dropped in April 2023 after he pleaded not guilty. In January 2024, a grand jury indicted him again for involuntary manslaughter and he faces up to 18 months in prison if he is convicted. He has since pleaded not guilty.
Surprisingly, after all this, Oxide is still moving forward and resumed production last April with several casting adjustments. Production wrapped in May 2023. Additionally, a documentary about Hutchins is also being produced.
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