In October 2021, on the active production set of 'Rust,' well-known actor, producer and executive producer Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun containing a live round, accidentally killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring writer/director Joel Souza. On Monday, April 15, the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced to the maximum 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter for the role she played in loading and handling the weapon which killed Hutchins. In a blistering verdict, New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer intoned: "You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive. A husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother." Baldwin, whose manslaughter charges were initially dropped by prosecutors, was later indicted by a Grand Jury and will be facing trial himself before the same Judge in July.
Ms. Reavis commented on ABC News and Fox News discussing the likely impact of the Gutierrez-Reed verdict on Baldwin's upcoming trial as well as on industry production practices and possible future legislation. She believes the prosecutors in Baldwin's case will likely take a hard line on Baldwin and focus on grossly failed producer responsibilities and disregarded safety guidelines, making an example of the 'Rust' producers and setting the stage for changes in the law. As New Mexico is a primary go-to state for film and tv production because of its generous tax benefits and timeless scenery, the political fight will continue well after the trials are done. Ms. Reavis states, "I think we're going to see the prosecutor focusing a fair amount on what to the public may seem not as dramatic, but, 'Show me all of your fields safety guidelines. Show me the insurance policy you have for the health and safety of your personnel. Show me how each person on the set was oriented to the set, to equipment ... [Y]ou're going to see a very large part of the prosecution showing again and again and again, how little there is." "Then again, New Mexico profits from extending production benefits and won't want to discourage producers from filming there. So, as usual, it's political."
To learn more about the case and Ms. Reavis' commentary, read the ABC article here and the Fox News Article here.
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