Two and a half years after the death of a camerawoman on the film set of the western “Rust” with Alec Baldwin, the first criminal trial in the case has begun in Santa Fe (New Mexico). Weapons master Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was jointly responsible for weapons and security precautions during the filming, is charged with negligent homicide.
At the start of the trial against the American, the jury was selected. The prosecution and defense lawyers were supposed to choose twelve jurors from a pool of 140 possible candidates, as the newspaper “The Santa Fe New Mexican” reported.
The procedure takes around two weeks. Dozens of witnesses and experts could be called. If found guilty, Gutierrez-Reed could face up to 18 months in prison.
Alec Baldwin also charged
Lead actor and producer Alec Baldwin (65), who operated the revolver that fired the fatal shot during rehearsals for a film scene, is also charged with negligent homicide. The trial against the actor could begin this summer; an exact date is not yet known. Both have repeatedly denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The incident occurred in October 2021 at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico. Camerawoman Halyna Hutchins (42) was fatally hit by the projectile and director Joel Souza was injured in the shoulder. Despite the extensive investigation, many questions remain unanswered. It is unclear how the live ammunition got onto the set. Gutierrez-Reed had loaded the revolver, which was then handed to Baldwin.
