Prosecutors have brought forth new charges against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer involved in the tragic shooting incident that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust. In addition to the previously filed charge of involuntary manslaughter, Gutierrez-Reed now faces a charge related to the transfer of narcotics to another person, as revealed by prosecutors.
Gutierrez-Reed’s defense lawyer stated that she will plead not guilty to the new charge, describing it as “retaliatory and vindictive.” According to court filings, prosecutors allege that Gutierrez-Reed transferred narcotics to another individual on October 21, 2021, the same day that Hutchins was fatally shot. The alleged motive behind the narcotics transfer was to hinder her own apprehension, prosecution, or conviction, as reported by Reuters news agency.
Last week, separate court filings from prosecutors suggested that Gutierrez-Reed may have been hung over during the day of the shooting due to consuming alcohol and marijuana in the evenings while working on the film. In response, Gutierrez-Reed’s defense lawyer criticized the handling of the case by prosecutors, deeming it a “character assassination.” They have filed a motion seeking to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge brought against her.
Amidst these developments, the lead investigator for the Santa Fe District Attorney’s office, who is set to step down next month, expressed criticism of the sheriff’s office regarding their investigation of the shooting and the conclusions they reached in their October 2022 report. In an email to colleagues, Robert Shilling called the conduct of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office “reprehensible and unprofessional.” The email was made public by Gutierrez-Reed’s lawyer, who received it accidentally from prosecutors. The BBC has sought comment from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, while Shilling declined to provide a comment to Reuters.
These recent court filings come two months after charges against actor Alec Baldwin, who was involved in the incident, were dropped just weeks before his trial was scheduled to commence. Baldwin had been charged with involuntary manslaughter following the shooting that occurred during the filming of Rust in New Mexico. New Mexico Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey cited “new facts” that surfaced, necessitating further investigation as the reason for dropping the charges against Baldwin.
