‘Rust’ movie shooting trial begins after bumpy road to prosecution

SANTA FE, N.M. — More than two years after Alec Baldwin fired the deadly shot, questions persist about who was responsible for the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western movie “Rust.”

After a long and bumpy prosecution, the first trial in the “Rust” shooting tragedy begins this week in a Santa Fe courtroom.

Prosecutors will attempt to untangle a lingering mystery: How did at least six actual bullets get mixed in with so-called dummy and blank rounds common to moviemaking — including one lead bullet that was loaded in Baldwin’s Colt .45 revolver on that fateful October 2021 day?

Prosecutors allege weapons handler Hannah Gutierrez was largely responsible for the death of Hutchins, a rising star in the film industry. They plan to ask a jury to convict Gutierrez on felony charges that could send her to prison for three years, alleging that she was reckless and probably brought the live ammunition with her on only her second job as head armorer on a Hollywood movie.

The 26-year-old Arizona woman denies bringing live ammunition. She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of evidence tampering and an unrelated gun possession charge.

On Wednesday, Gutierrez arrived with her attorney at the Santa Fe County Courthouse at 8 a.m., wearing a black suit and a high-collared champagne-colored blouse. The neon green and purple hair she sported during the “Rust” production more than two years ago was gone. Instead, her wavy brown hair was neatly pinned behind her ears.

Attorneys spent much of Wednesday interviewing potential jurors. They intend to seat 12 jurors and two alternates for the first high-profile trial stemming from the “Rust” tragedy.

The proceedings, which will be televised by Court TV, are expected to run through March 6.

Special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey noted during Wednesday’s session that “almost everyone” among the first pool of 70 potential jurors was familiar with the “Rust” shooting, cautioning that the process of picking the jury would be slow.

More than a dozen prospective jurors described hardships that would prevent extended service.

Gutierrez is one of three people to face criminal charges in the 42-year-old cinematographer’s death. Last month, a Santa Fe County grand jury indicted Baldwin on involuntary manslaughter charges. The actor, who has pleaded not guilty, could stand trial as early as this summer.

Baldwin thought his Colt .45 revolver was empty as he began rehearsing a scene in a wooden chapel at the popular movie location Bonanza Creek Ranch, just south of Santa Fe. He has denied pulling the trigger.

For the past year, special prosecutors have built the case against Gutierrez, who has acknowledged loading Baldwin’s Colt .45 caliber revolver with what she thought were “dummy” bullets.

Albuquerque attorney Jason Bowles has insisted that Gutierrez, his client, is being unfairly blamed for a series of on-set actions and lapses that led to the fatal shooting. Bowles alleges Gutierrez was spread too thin, struggling to balance two jobs on the low-budget film because producers allegedly were driven to cut safety corners to save money. Producers have denied the claim.

Several crew members have echoed such complaints. More than six members of the“Rust” camera crew resigned the night before the accident, citing safety concerns and a lack of nearby lodging.

Gutierrez — the daughter of Hollywood sharpshooter Thell Reed who took a job others with more experienced had turned down— had asked for the opportunity to provide additional gun training for Baldwin. But production managers refused her request, text messages show. She was also scolded for devoting too much time to handling weapons, neglecting some of the duties of her secondary role as prop assistant.

Prosecutors have introduced allegations of drug use by Gutierrez during her off-hours.