Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor involved in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust" by actor Alec Baldwin, pleaded guilty to a separate charge of carrying a gun into a licensed liquor establishment. The plea was made in exchange for a reduced sentence of 18 months supervised probation.
Gutierrez-Reed appeared in court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, dressed in a beige jumpsuit and shackles, where she apologized to the court and accepted the judgment. The charge stemmed from an incident where Gutierrez-Reed brought a gun into a bar in Santa Fe, violating the establishment's prohibition on firearms.
Prosecutors in the "Rust" case placed blame on Gutierrez-Reed for inadvertently bringing live ammunition onto the set and failing to follow proper gun safety protocols. She was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins, with an appeal pending in a higher court.
As part of the plea agreement, Gutierrez-Reed is prohibited from possessing firearms, consuming alcohol or drugs, and must pay fees while submitting her DNA to a criminal database and completing an addiction treatment program. Defense attorney Jason Bowles mentioned that the agreement allows for Gutierrez-Reed to potentially be released from prison in June 2025 without an additional felony conviction on her record.
The case against Alec Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter was dismissed halfway through a trial due to evidence withholding by police and prosecutors. Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey has requested the judge to reconsider this decision.
Overall, the plea agreement for Gutierrez-Reed in the gun charge case allows for supervised probation while serving her prison term for involuntary manslaughter, with restrictions and requirements to be met during the probation period.