A movie set weapons handler who loaded a gun for actor Alec Baldwin before it discharged and killed a cinematographer has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted of a second charge of evidence tampering related to the 2021 shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."

A jury has found armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter after the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, ahead of Alec Baldwin’s hearing in July.https://t.co/RKjzVDXmYo

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 7, 2024

The verdict

The 26-year-old faces a potential sentence of up to 18 months in jail, to be determined at a later date.

Baldwin, 65, is also facing a manslaughter trial scheduled for July.

Hutchins, 42, was fatally shot when a gun Baldwin was using during a rehearsal fired a live round on the set of the Western film in New Mexico.

The case

According to armorist Misty Marris, Baldwin could not have anticipated the presence of a live round on set as the responsibility for the firearm and ammunition's safety, maintenance, and care fell to the armorist.

Jurors deliberated for three hours before returning Wednesday's verdict. Gutierrez-Reed remained expressionless upon hearing the verdict and was led away by officers while comforting her weeping mother, according to Reuters.

Hutchins' parents and sister expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating they were pleased someone had been held accountable for her death.

Prosecutors argued that Gutierrez-Reed failed to ensure the weapon was loaded only with dummy rounds, which are fake bullets used for visual and sound effects. They described the incident as a result of ongoing safety failures.

The background

Prosecutors also presented evidence suggesting Gutierrez-Reed had transported live bullets from her California home to the film set in New Mexico, where they eventually mixed with dummy rounds.

Gutierrez-Reed did not testify during the trial, but her lawyer argued that the prosecution failed to prove she was solely responsible for the shooting. He also suggested Baldwin's deviation from the script by pointing the gun contributed to the tragedy.

Trial witnesses included the film's director, Joel Souza, who was injured in the incident. Souza recalled Gutierrez-Reed apologizing to him after the shooting.

Footage shown to the jury depicted the aftermath of the shooting, including efforts to save Hutchins' life. Gutierrez-Reed was also acquitted of evidence tampering charges related to allegations of attempting to dispose of narcotics after the shooting.

Last year, the film's cast and crew completed filming in tribute to Hutchins, with her husband serving as an executive producer.