Rust armourer requests new trial and prison release after conviction over fatal shooting on-set

A weapons armourer on the film set of Rust has asked a judge to grant her a new involuntary manslaughter trial and release from prison “pending further proceedings”.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty after a two-week trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the western film set in October 2021.

“Ms Gutierrez-Reed is requesting this court vacate her conviction and order new trial,” lawyers Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras said, in an emergency motion for a new trial and release.

“She is further requesting this court to release her pending further proceedings whether it be in this court or on appeal or writ.”

The court documents appear to have been filed on the same day that Alec Baldwin’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor over the shooting, accusing prosecutors of “violating nearly every rule in the book” in acquiring the indictment.

Among the claims, it is alleged that state prosecutors gave the grand jury instruction on involuntary manslaughter that “unfairly stacked the deck against Baldwin”, who was re-charged with involuntary manslaughter in January and will go on trial in July.

Defence lawyers acting on behalf of Gutierrez-Reed used a ruling in a different case to compare and claim there were jury instructions in this case which could confuse.

Gutierrez-Reed will be sentenced on April 15 for the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a 5,000 dollar (£3,900) fine.

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