FILE – Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, a former weapons artist for the Western film “Rust,” listens to closing arguments in her trial in District Court in Santa Fe, N.M., Wednesday, March 6, 2024. | Photo credit: Luis Sanchez Saturno
A special prosecutor is opposing a former movie armorer’s request that he be released from prison while seeking a new trial and appeal of his involuntary manslaughter conviction in a 2021 shooting on a film set. War,
Carrie Morrissey wrote in a response letter filed Friday that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s petition for release “is premature because the court has yet to receive full briefings on the defendant’s petition for a new trial, hear arguments on the defendant’s petition, and rule on the petition in favor of the defendant.”
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys have argued that his case should be retried because prosecutors failed to present evidence that could have exonerated him.
Gutierrez-Reed wants the judge to throw out her conviction or order a new trial in the shooting death of cinematographer Helena Hutchins by actor Alec Baldwin.
Baldwin, lead actor and co-producer WarHutchins was pointing a gun at a man during a rehearsal on a film set outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
The involuntary manslaughter case against Gutierrez-Reed already has an appeal pending in the high court.
He was convicted by a jury overseen by Judge Mary Marlowe Somers in March, and later sentenced to the maximum 18 months in prison.
Baldwin’s trial ended on July 12, when Marlo Sommer dismissed the case on grounds of misconduct by police and prosecutors in concealing evidence from the defense.
Prosecutors accused Gutierrez-Reid of unknowingly bringing live ammunition onto the film set. Warwhere it was expressly prohibited, and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.
He was acquitted of evidence tampering charges after trial. War Investigation.
