New Mexico prosecutors filed new charges against “Rust” gunmaker Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who is currently awaiting trial in connection with the fatal shooting of film director Halyna Hutchins.
Reed now faces a charge of tampering with evidence in connection with an unspecified transfer of narcotics to stop her criminal charges.
Prosecutors were light on the information the indictment detailed, but the indictment documents stated that Reed “transferred narcotics to another person with the intent to avoid the arrest, prosecution or conviction of himself.”
The charges come on the heels of a prosecutor’s report earlier this month that witnesses saw Reed “heavily intoxicated and smoking marijuana” in the days leading up to the shooting.
The shooting took place on October 21, 2021, when Alec Baldwin was accused of firing the gun on the film set in New Mexico, hitting Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Hutchins died of her injuries. Baldwin was initially charged, but his case was later dropped
In a file from earlier this month, special prosecutors wrote that Hannah Gutierrez Reed likely had a “hangover” when she loaded the gun on the movie set with a live bullet. Now they accused her of tampering with evidence
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of Rust when she was hit by a live bullet from a gun fired by Alec Baldwin
Charges against Baldwin were dropped after losing several preliminary rulings, but could be refiled in the coming weeks
In the June 9 filing, special prosecutors wrote, “It is likely that Defendant Gutierrez [Reed] had a hangover when she put a live bullet in a gun she knew would one day be used by an actor while filming a shooting scene with other actors and crew members.”
As the trial approaches, Reed’s lawyers have attempted to change the story and raise concerns about the law enforcement investigation.
The state of New Mexico, where the shooting took place, has dropped charges against the prime suspect in the case – actor and producer Alex Baldwin – after losing several preliminary rulings.
The original two special prosecutors on the case resigned over controversies raised by Baldwin’s defense team and two new ones were appointed.
Now Reed’s defense team is trying to stir up more controversy in the prosecution by pointing to an email exchange between the case’s lead investigator, one of the new prosecutors, and one of the old prosecutors – who is no longer on the case. worked at the time the email was delivered.
The investigator, Robert Shilling, wrote in a note: “The current Special Prosecutor has determined that I will not conduct any further investigation into this matter. The behavior of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office during and after their initial investigation is reprehensible and unprofessional to an extent that I am still beyond words.
“Not me or 200 more skilled investigators than I can/could clean up the mess delivered to your office in October 2022 (1 year since the first incident… inexcusable),” he wrote.
Prosecutors were light on information clarifying the charges, but the indictment documents stated that Reed “transferred narcotics to another person with the intent to avoid the arrest, prosecution or conviction of himself.”
Filming on Rust has since resumed after the fatal shooting in October 2021, which killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.
The email was accidentally sent to Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, who questioned why one of the longtime prosecutors was still receiving information about the case.
In a seven-page letter, Bowles wrote, “This entire exchange is extremely disturbing on many fronts.”
‘Firstly, it now seems beyond dispute that the State is trying to ‘sweep exculpatory information under the carpet’. But despite the coincidence of this “accidental” transmission, defense counsel probably never would have known of Shilling’s information and deeply negative views of the investigation.
‘Mrs. Gutierrez Reed has an expert witness about the serious problems in the investigation. The fact that the state’s chief investigator shares those views, or some of those views, is highly exculpatory,” he concluded.
Reed’s legal team has now demanded “all communications and emails in and between Mr. Shilling, District Attorney Carmack Altweis (one of the longtime prosecutors) and the special prosecutors.”
The only other defendant in the case, assistant director David Halls, pleaded for a minor charge, which resulted in a non-custodial sentence.
The actor had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but that charge was dropped in April after prosecutors said new evidence showed the gun’s hammer had been modified
Image of the gun fired by Baldwin at the ‘Rust’ shooting. Producer and actor Baldwin fired the prop gun with lifelong bullets
While Baldwin’s charges were dropped, Santa Fe County prosecutors could still decide to file new counts after sending the gun for further investigation.
The actor had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but that charge was dropped in April after prosecutors said new evidence showed the gun’s hammer had been modified, raising questions about whether the gun could fire without pulling the trigger .
Baldwin insisted he never pulled the trigger, but a previous FBI test of the gun had determined that it would not fire unless the trigger was pulled.
Prosecutors say additional state independent expert testing is needed to see how the hammer was modified, the source of the modification and what impact it could have on the firearm’s performance.
“If it is determined that the gun was not faulty, the charges against Mr. Baldwin will continue,” prosecutors wrote in a lawsuit Friday in the case of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who continues to face charges of involuntary manslaughter in the case.
“The prosecution expects to make a final indictment decision regarding Mr. Baldwin within the next 60 days,” added the motion from special prosecutors Kari Morrisey and Jason Lewis.