Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s Manslaughter Trial Commences with Opening Statements

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed‘s manslaughter trial began with opening statements on Thursday. Both the prosecution and defense have presented their arguments, with the prosecution squarely blaming HGR, while the defense points to wider institutional failings.

The armorer for “Rust,” Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, faced trial in New Mexico for involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The prosecution initiated the trial by alleging that Gutierrez-Reed was at fault for allowing the live round that resulted in Hutchins’ death to be present on set.

The prosecution claims that Gutierrez-Reed did not consistently follow safety protocols on set, failing to show the actors the rounds inside the weapon or have the gun inspected in their presence, as per the required protocol.

According to the prosecution, Gutierrez-Reed frequently neglected her duties, leaving guns and ammunition unattended on set and allowing live ammo to enter the scene. They also claim that she failed to recognize a live round when it was in her possession.

In her defense, Gutierrez-Reed’s legal team argued that she was burdened with multiple responsibilities as both an armorer and prop assistant at the age of 24. They believe her age and relative obscurity made her an easy target forthe accident.