The trial of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed took a haunting turn as jurors were confronted with blood-soaked evidence from the fatal on-set shooting.
In October 2021, 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. tragically lost her life after a prop gun wielded by actor Alec Baldwin discharged a live round. The incident also injured director Joel Souza, who fortunately survived.
The individuals involved had been part of a movie crew in the filming of the upcoming western movie, Rust.
Last month, Baldwin was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting, after previously having charges dropped.
The 65-year-old actor has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing - saying that he never pulled the trigger.
Blame has also fallen on the movie's armorer Gutierrez-Reed, 26, who is in court facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On Friday (February 23), Gutierrez-Reed was seen maintaining a stoic demeanor as prosecutors presented photos of the blood-stained t-shirt worn by Hutchins when she was tragically shot, along with the fatal bullet that passed through her body. Jurors were also shown images of director Souza's bloodied shirt and the bullet recovered from his shoulder.
Dressed in a black-pinstriped blazer, Gutierrez-Reed remained expressionless as prosecutors meticulously established a chain of custody for the physical evidence, the New York Post reports.
On Thursday, the court was also shown harrowing police body camera footage of the chaotic aftermath of the shooting, as medics rushed to treat the wounded Hutchins. In one of the videos, paramedics were seen frantically attempting to save Hutchins' life, pleading with her to keep breathing.
Per BBC News, special prosecutor Jason Lewis told jurors on Thursday that Gutierrez-Reed had been "unprofessional" on-set prior to the fatal shooting. "You will hear testimony that she routinely left guns and ammunition lying around the set unattended and her gun safe and ammo cart were constantly disorganised," Lewis told the court.
Gutierrez-Reed's defense attorney, Jason Bowles, has argued vehemently that she has been unfairly scapegoated and is not to blame. Bowles emphasized the overwhelming pressure Gutierrez-Reed faced while juggling multiple responsibilities on set, compounded by unanswered requests for assistance from her manager.
As the trial unfolds, over 40 potential witnesses are expected to testify.
While Gutierrez-Reed's trial is scheduled to run through March 6, Baldwin's trial date remains undetermined.
