Production manager testifies about gun oversight in fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin in 2021 rehearsal
SANTA FE, N.M. — A film set manager increased oversight of firearms safety but was only partially aware of the failures in the days leading up to the fatal shooting of a cameraman by Alec Baldwin during rehearsal for the Western film “Rust,” jurors heard Wednesday in the courtroom.
The trial of movie gunmaker Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence entered its fifth day with testimony from the on-set manager, as well as the lead investigator in the case from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office.
Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty, and defense attorney Jason Bowles emphasized in cross-examination that Baldwin was allowed to walk and talk to crew members in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 21, 2021, shooting while Gutierrez-Reed was in police custody. vehicles and under supervision, even when going to the toilet.
Baldwin, the star and co-producer of “Rust,” was indicted by a grand jury last month and has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. That trial is scheduled for July.
Gabrielle Pickle, who helped hire the crew and oversaw spending on gun safety and training, told jurors Wednesday that the number of “armor days” — that is, with a dedicated weapons supervisor on set — was being expanded from five to 10 as Gutierrez-Reed lobbied for more time to focus on firearms instead of her lower-paid duties as a props assistant.
Producers reduced paperwork requirements for Gutierrez-Reed to help her keep track of responsibilities, including overseeing real guns and fake ammunition, Pickle said, although live ammunition would end up on set, contrary to industry guidelines. She added that she had confronted Gutierrez-Reed with complaints that guns were being left unattended and that she had negotiated for better monitoring.
Gutierrez-Reed told investigators in November 2021 that she had trained Baldwin in gun handling for at least a day, but wanted more time and was concerned about his skill at drawing a revolver from a holster. Video of that interview was played for the jury, but she did not testify at the trial.
Pickle testified that she received a request from Gutierrez-Reed for more time as an armorer to train a child actor, with Baldwin present.
“She requested training involving Brady, a minor who did not fire any weapons in the film, and I denied that for insurance reasons,” Pickle said. “The request wasn’t because Alec needed more time.”
Baldwin was pointing the gun at cameraman Halyna Hutchins when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin said he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger.
Workplace safety regulators in New Mexico say production managers took little or no action to address two on-set failures before the fatal shooting.
Under cross-examination by the defense, Pickle acknowledged that she had been told about one accidental discharge, but said the other was never reported to her and did not appear in a daily log of significant events. She said she only found out after Hutchins was shot.
“Whose responsibility would it be in the chain of command to report these accidental releases?” Bowles asked her.
“Everyone on set,” Pickle replied.
Defense attorneys say the problems on set were beyond Gutierrez-Reed’s control and have pointed to shortcomings in evidence gathering and interviews. They also say that the main ammunition supplier has not been properly investigated.
Prosecutors say Gutierrez-Reed is responsible for bringing live ammunition onto the set and she considered basic gun safety protocols optional. They say six live rounds have identical characteristics and do not match the rounds seized from the film supplier in Albuquerque.