Rust shooting: Prosecutors hit armorer with evidence tampering charge

New Mexico prosecutors brought another charge against ‘Rust’ armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed (pictured left), who is currently awaiting trial in connection to the fatal shooting of the film’s cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (pictured bottom right). Reed is now facing an evidence tampering charge relating to an unspecified transfer of narcotics to stop her criminal prosecution. Prosecutors were light on information explaining the charge, but charging documents stated that Reed ‘did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself.’

The charge comes after a prosecutor’s report earlier this month that stated witnesses saw Reed (pictured) ‘drinking heavily and smoking marijuana’ in the days prior to the onset shooting. The shooting happened on October 21, 2021, when Alec Baldwin was accused of firing the gun on the New Mexico movie set, striking Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Hutchins died from her injuries. Baldwin was initially charged, but his case was later dropped. In June 9 filing, special prosecutors wrote: ‘It is likely that Defendant Gutierrez [Reed] was hung over when she inserted a live bullet into a gun that she knew was going to be used at some point by an actor while filming a shooting scene with other actors and crew members.’

As the trial approaches, Reed’s attorneys have tried to change the narrative and raise concerns about the law enforcement investigation. The state of New Mexico, where the shooting took place, dropped charges against the lead defendant in the case – actor and producer Alex Baldwin – after losing several pretrial rulings. The original two special prosecutors on the case resigned due to controversies highlighted by Baldwin’s defense team and two new ones were appointed. Now, Reed’s defense team is attempting to stir up more controversy in the prosecutor’s office by pointing to an email exchange between the case’s lead investigator, one of the new prosecutors and one of the old prosecutors – who was no longer working on the case at the time the email was delivered. 

The investigator, Robert Shilling, wrote in a note: ‘The current special prosecutor has directed that I conduct no further investigation into this matter. The conduct of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office during and after their initial investigation is reprehensible and unprofessional to a degree I still have no words for. Not I or 200 more proficient investigators than I can / could clean up the mess delivered to your office in October 2022 (1 year since the initial incident … inexcusable),’ he wrote. The email was accidentally sent to Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, who questioned why one of the old prosecutors was still receiving information about the case. In a seven-page letter, Bowles wrote: ‘This whole exchange is beyond troubling on many fronts.’ Pictured: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed holding a weapon on the set of a movie in an image taken from social media.

‘First, it appears beyond doubt now that the State is attempting to sweep exculpatory information “under the rug.” But for the fortuitousness of this ‘inadvertent’ send, defense counsel would likely have never known about Shilling’s information and extremely negative views on the investigation. Ms. Gutierrez Reed has an expert witness regarding the severe problems in the investigation. The fact that the State’s lead 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, DA Carmack Altweis (one of the old prosecutors), and the special prosecutors.’ The only other defendant in the case, assistant director David Halls, pleaded to a minor charge, which resulted in a non-jail sentence. Pictured: Cast of Rust. 

While Baldwin had his charges dropped, Santa Fe County prosecutors could still decide to file new counts after sending the gun for further testing. The actor had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but that charge was dropped in April after prosecutors said new evidence showed that the gun’s hammer had been modified — raising questions about whether the gun might fire without a trigger pull. Baldwin insisted he never pulled the trigger, but a prior FBI test of the gun had found it would not fire unless the trigger was pulled. 

Prosecutors say additional testing from the state’s independent expert is required to see how the hammer was modified, the source of the modification and what impact it might have on the firearm’s performance. ‘If it is determined that the gun did not malfunction, charges against Mr. Baldwin will proceed,’ prosecutors wrote in a court filing on Friday in the case of Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who remains charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case. ‘The prosecution anticipates making a final charging decision with regard to Mr. Baldwin within the next sixty days,’ added the motion from special prosecutors Kari Morrisey and Jason Lewis. Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12225067/Rust-armorer-hit-tampering-charge-Alec-Baldwin-allegedly-shot-cinematographer-dead-set.html?ito=msngallery

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