A New Mexico judge on Monday refused to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter conviction of “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or grant a new trial, despite her claims of prosecutorial misconduct in the high-profile case. The decision comes after allegations that suppressed evidence sank the state’s case against actor Alec Baldwin, who was also charged in connection with the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Gutierrez-Reed Rust Armor Trial : No New Trial or Immediate Release
First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled that Gutierrez-Reed failed to show how any of the allegedly suppressed evidence would have changed the outcome of her trial. Gutierrez-Reed was convicted in March and is currently serving an 18-month sentence. Her request for immediate release during her appeal was also denied, with Judge Sommer noting that her arguments downplayed the severity of her crime.
Allegations of Prosecutorial Misconduct
Gutierrez-Reed’s legal team had argued that the prosecution suppressed key evidence, including a forensic report on the damage to the trigger mechanism of Baldwin’s gun and an interview with a witness who supplied props to “Rust.” However, Judge Sommer found that this evidence, while undisclosed, was not material enough to affect the trial’s outcome.
