The judge’s decision contrasts with Baldwin’s case, which was dismissed in July after it was revealed that special prosecutor Kari Morrissey had withheld potentially exculpatory evidence, including ammunition that could have clarified how live rounds ended up on set.
Gutierrez-Reed Rust Armor Trial : Fatal Shooting on the Set of “Rust”
Prosecutors alleged that Gutierrez-Reed was negligent in her role as armorer on the Rust set, where Baldwin accidentally fired a live round, killing Hutchins. Gutierrez-Reed was accused of improperly loading live ammunition into Baldwin’s revolver. The state argued that she brought live ammunition to the set, a claim Gutierrez-Reed denies.
During the trial, the jury heard evidence of a mass exodus of employees from the production due to safety concerns, as well as testimony about Gutierrez-Reed’s alleged failure to properly oversee weapons safety on set.
Suppressed Evidence and Legal Arguments
A key issue in Gutierrez-Reed’s appeal was the suppression of ammunition evidence. The defense knew about ammunition provided by retired officer Troy Teske, but chose not to introduce it, citing concerns about tampering with the chain of custody. Prosecutors argued the evidence was not relevant, as the rounds were dissimilar to the live ammunition used on set.
