SANTA FE, NM — A New Mexico judge has set a 2024 start date for the trial of movie gunmaker Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in actor Alec Baldwin’s fatal shooting of a cameraman during a rehearsal for the Western film “Rest.”
State District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer has scheduled the trial for Monday, Feb. 21 through March 6, in Santa Fe. The first day starts with the jury selection.
Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering charges in the fatal shooting of cameraman Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on the set of “Rust” on Oct. 21, 2021.
A lawyer for Gutierrez-Reed has described the fatal shooting as a tragic accident and says the film’s gunmaker committed no crime. Gutierrez-Reed is currently the only criminal suspect.
‘Rust’ prosecution: Alec Baldwin manslaughter charge dropped after ‘Rust’ fatal shooting
Prosecutors are considering whether to press charges against Baldwin after receiving a new analysis of the gun fired at Hutchins. Special prosecutors dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin in April, saying the gun may have been modified before the shooting and malfunctioned.
Baldwin has said he pulled back on the hammer — but not the trigger — and the gun fired, fatally wounding Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
In March, David Halls, Rust’s assistant director and safety coordinator, pleaded no conviction for unsafe handling of a firearm and was given a six-month suspended sentence. He agreed to cooperate with the investigation into the shooting.
Defense attorneys said they plan to present evidence that Gutierrez-Reed asked Halls to recall her from rehearsal if Baldwin intended to use the weapon. They say this didn’t happen before Hutchins was shot.
“Rust” resumed shooting this year in Montana, under an agreement with the cinematographer’s widower, Matthew Hutchins, that made him executive producer on the project.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Rest’ movie armor trial slated for 2024 during Alec Baldwin shooting
