Attorneys gave their closing arguments within the “Rust” trial in Santa Fe, N.M., on Wednesday, with the prosecution urging jurors to seek out Hannah Gutierrez Reed responsible of involuntary manslaughter and to carry her accountable for an “astonishing” lack of gun security on the movie set.

Particular prosecutor Kari Morrissey argued that because the movie’s armorer, Gutierrez Reed, was accountable for weapons on set, and that it was her failure to inform the distinction between dummies and dwell rounds that led to the loss of life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

“This was a sport of Russian roulette each time an actor had a gun with dummies,” Morrissey stated.

Protection legal professional Jason Bowles urged the jury to seek out her not responsible.

He cited flaws within the Sheriff’s investigation that made it unattainable to know for sure the place the dwell rounds got here from. He additionally pointed to errors dedicated by the manufacturing, together with actor Alec Baldwin and others, that contributed to Hutchins’ loss of life, and argued that Gutierrez Reed is being scapegoated.

“The entire administration group has simply thrown security apart in favor of cash, in favor of pace, in favor of revenue,” Bowles stated. “On the finish, they’d any person they may all blame… Justice for Halyna doesn’t imply injustice for Hannah.”

Gutierrez Reed loaded Baldwin’s gun on the set on the Bonanza Creek Ranch on Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin was making ready for a scene in an outdated church constructing when the gun fired — he claims he didn’t pull the set off — killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin is about to face his personal involuntary manslaughter trial in July. Prosecutors have proven some proof on this trial that factors to Baldwin’s poor gun security practices, together with outtakes by which Baldwin is seen utilizing a pistol as a pointer to direct the crew, and speeding the armorer to “reload” after a take.

A gun professional additionally testified that Baldwin’s weapon was working correctly when it was fired, and that the set off must be depressed.

In her closing argument, Morrissey burdened that each may be held accountable — and that Baldwin’s lapses don’t excuse Gutierrez Reed’s.

“I’m not saying that his conduct was proper. I’m the one who indicted him,” she stated. “Alec Baldwin’s conduct and his lack of gun security inside that church on that day is one thing that he’s going to must reply for… That’ll be with one other jury on one other day.”

Six dwell bullets had been in the end discovered on set, together with the one which killed Hutchins. The query of how they bought there was a serious situation within the trial. The prosecution introduced typically blurry photographs, culled from 1000’s taken on set, that seem to indicate the dwell rounds had been there a minimum of 11 days earlier than the taking pictures.

The prosecution has argued that the proof reveals Gutierrez Reed inadvertently introduced them to set, mingled amongst dummy rounds. In a police interview, Gutierrez Reed stated she introduced some dummies that had been unfastened in a bag in her automotive and had been left over from her earlier job as armorer on “The Previous Manner,” a Nicolas Cage movie.

“I’m not telling you that Hannah Gutierrez meant to carry dwell rounds on set,” Morrissey stated. “I’m telling you that she was negligent. She was inconsiderate. She was careless… For all we all know these dummy rounds had been floating across the set of ‘The Previous Manner,’ and Nicolas Cage is fortunate to have walked away together with his life.”

The prosecutor burdened that it was Gutierrez Reed’s job to establish the dwell rounds and eliminate them. Dummy rounds usually have a BB inside that rattles when shaken, which proves that they’re secure to make use of. However Morrissey argued that Gutierrez Reed didn’t take that easy precaution.

“She wasn’t shaking any dummy rounds,” Morrissey stated. “She wasn’t testing something.”

The protection has pointed the finger at Seth Kenney, who provided the “Rust” manufacturing with dummies, blanks, gun belts and firearms. Bowles confirmed the jury photos of Kenney’s cluttered workplace, PDQ Arm and Prop, arguing that it was Kenney who should have combined the dwell rounds in with the dummies.

Bowles argued that the lead detective failed to completely examine Kenney, as an alternative buying and selling info with him and permitting him to steer the investigation. The detective spoke with him a minimum of 40 instances after the taking pictures, and waited greater than a month earlier than executing a search warrant at Kenney’s enterprise. The detective additionally by no means talked to Joe Swanson, the producer who made blanks and dummies utilized by the manufacturing.

To show the cost of involuntary manslaughter, the state should present that the accident was “foreseeable” and that Gutierrez Reed acted with “willful disregard for the security of others.”

Bowles argued that the state couldn’t show both of these components. He argued that it was incomprehensible {that a} dwell spherical may find yourself on set.

“It can’t be willful if Hannah doesn’t know there’s dwell rounds, and no person did,” Bowles stated. “No one of their wildest goals thought there was a dwell spherical.”

Bowles in contrast Gutierrez Reed to a nurse who inadvertently administers a tainted drug to a affected person, saying nobody would accuse the nurse of manslaughter if it resulted in a loss of life.

“She was entitled to depend on manufacturing shopping for dummies,” Bowles argued.

Morrissey acknowledged that different gamers additionally bear accountability for the tragedy. She famous that Dave Halls, the primary assistant director who was liable for security, has pleaded to a cost of negligent dealing with of a gun.

And he or she argued that Rust Film Productions was negligent for hiring Gutierrez Reed, who was “not wherever near being certified for this job.”

However she stated it was “completely dishonest” accountable Kenney, given the proof pointing to Gutierrez Reed.

The prosecutor additionally acknowledged that Gutierrez Reed didn’t know there have been dwell rounds on set, however stated that was no excuse.

“The explanation she didn’t know was via her personal negligence, her personal recklessness,” she stated. “She knew this was utterly foreseeable. She was educated in firearms. She is aware of what everyone knows. Weapons can kill you. You gotta be actually cautious.”

Morrissey additionally famous that within the aftermath of the taking pictures, Gutierrez Reed twice expressed concern for her profession.

“Wow,” Morrissey stated. “That provides you an concept that you’re coping with somebody who will not be significantly involved in regards to the well being and security of others.”

If the jurors acquit Gutierrez Reed of involuntary manslaughter, they’ll convict her of a “lesser included offense”: negligent use of a lethal weapon, a misdemeanor.

Gutierrez can be dealing with a felony cost of tampering with proof for allegedly handing off a baggie of cocaine to a different crew member on the evening of the taking pictures. Bowles argued that the state couldn’t show that the baggie contained cocaine, noting that it was by no means examined and the state’s witness stated it may even have been methamphetamine.

“It is a actual stretch,” Bowles stated.

The 2 felony costs every carry a most sentence of 18 months. If convicted of each, Gutierrez Reed faces as a lot as three years in jail.