What to know about a movie gunsmith's prison sentence in fatal Alec Baldwin shooting

SANTA FE, NM – A movie gunsmith received the maximum sentence of 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a cameraman by Alec Baldwin on the set of a Western film, as authorities now focus on prosecuting Baldwin himself.

A New Mexico judge concluded Monday that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's recklessness amounted to a serious violent crime, but noted few signs of genuine remorse from the defendants since her conviction in March. Prosecutors accuse Gutierrez-Reed of unintentionally bringing live ammunition to the set of “Rust,” where it was expressly forbidden, and of failing to follow basic gun safety protocols.

Attention now turns to Baldwin's upcoming trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the October 2021 death of Halyna Hutchins at a film farm on the outskirts of Santa Fe.

Baldwin, the film's lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal when the gun went off, killing her and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin pleaded not guilty, saying he pulled back the hammer – but not the trigger – and fired the gun.

Here are some things you should know as the Rust v. Baldwin case approaches:

Prosecutors on Monday described a “cascade of security violations” on the film set that only began with Gutierrez-Reed.

At the sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed said she tried to do her best on set despite not having “the right time, resources and staff” and that she was not the monster people thought she was.

But Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said the maximum sentence was appropriate given Gutierrez-Reed's recklessness. She said she lacked remorse and rejected a request from defense attorneys for leniency and a conditional discharge that would have avoided further prison time.

The judge went through a checklist of Gutierrez-Reed's safety deficiencies and specifically answered her own questions.

“Did she have enough time to load the weapon safely?” Plenty,” the judge said. “Did you load the gun? Yes – with dummies and a live round. Did she check what she loaded? NO.”

Hutchins, who was 42 when she died, grew up on a remote Soviet military base and worked on documentaries in Eastern Europe before studying film in Los Angeles and embarking on a promising career as a filmmaker.

At the sentencing, friends and family described Hutchins as courageous, tenacious and compassionate.

Testimony in court also included calls for justice and a punishment that would ensure greater accountability for safety on film sets.

Ukrainian relatives of Hutchins are seeking damages from Baldwin over her death in connection with the shooting. Attorney Gloria Allred represents Hutchins' parents and sister and says the family supports the prosecution of Baldwin.

“No one has ever come to me to apologize,” Hutchins' mother, Olga Solovey, said in a tearful video testimonial shown at Gutierrez-Reed's sentencing.

Filming on Rust was moved to Montana following Hutchins' death under an agreement with her husband Matthew Hutchins that made him executive producer.

Prosecutors dismissed an earlier involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin after being told that the gun he was holding may have been altered before the shooting and malfunctioned.

A new analysis of the weapon opened the way for prosecutors to reopen the case. A grand jury indicted Baldwin on the same charge in January. The indictment alleges that Baldwin caused Hutchins' death – either through negligence or through “total disregard or indifference” to safety concerns.

If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to 18 months.

Baldwin's defense attorneys are asking the judge to dismiss the grand jury indictment, accusing prosecutors of “acting unfairly” in grand jury proceedings that diverted attention from exculpatory evidence and witnesses.

Special prosecutors deny those allegations and accuse Baldwin of “shameless” attempts to evade blame. In a television interview, they highlighted the contradictions in Baldwin's statements to law enforcement, workplace safety agencies and the public.

An FBI expert testified at Gutierrez-Reed's trial that the revolver Baldwin used was fully functional and equipped with safety features when it arrived at an FBI laboratory. The expert said he had to hit the fully cocked gun with a hammer and break it so it would fire without pulling the trigger.

Defense attorney Jason Bowles said Gutierrez-Reed will appeal the verdict and the judge's sentence against her.

Bowles said in sentencing: “There were multiple system failures by multiple people. Some of these people have come to court. … Some still have to appear in court. At least one person will be tried in July.”

Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted in court of tampering with evidence but faces another felony charge in a separate trial involving allegations that she brought a gun into a downtown Santa Fe bar.

At her sentencing, Gutierrez-Reed broke down in tears as Hutchins' agent, Craig Mizrahi, spoke about the camerawoman's creativity and described her as a rising star in Hollywood.

But special prosecutor Kari Morrissey says she has reviewed nearly 200 phone calls Gutierrez-Reed made from prison over the last month. She said she hoped there would be a moment when the defendant would accept responsibility for Hutchins' death or express genuine regret, but “that moment never came.”