‘Rust’ Judge to Rule Next Week on Armorer’s Bid for New Trial

As a seasoned cinephile with decades of immersion in the intricacies of Hollywood and its legal tangles, I find myself deeply engrossed in this ongoing saga surrounding the “Rust” tragedy. The latest development – the impending ruling on Hannah Gutierrez Reed’s case – is a fascinating twist that echoes the Baldwin trial.

Next week, a decision will be made by the judge regarding if the conviction of Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the “Rust” armorer who’s currently serving an 18-month sentence due to the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, should be overturned.

At a virtual court session held on Thursday, attorney Jason Bowles for Gutierrez Reed made a plea to Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer of Santa Fe to discard the case due to the concealment of evidence prior to his client’s trial in February.

Bowles implied that the judge’s action to throw out a comparable case against Alec Baldwin was “likely one of the most significant instances of unethical behavior, possibly among the worst, in the annals of New Mexico’s judicial history.

He contended that Gutierrez Reed was involved in comparable misbehavior, and therefore, should face a similar outcome.

Marlowe Sommer stated, “I’ll take these points into account along with the legal briefs. I intend to make the decision and issue the order by the beginning of next week.

On March 6, Gutierrez Reed was officially found guilty of involuntary manslaughter due to her actions showing criminal negligence; specifically, she carelessly placed a live round in the firearm belonging to Alec Baldwin.

Baldwin’s trial in July ended with his case being thrown out due to the fact that the prosecutor, Kari Morrissey, failed to disclose crucial evidence – a stash of bullets – to Baldwin’s legal team.

Bowles contended that the state neglected to provide crucial evidence prior to Gutierrez Reed’s trial, such as a forensic report detailing “mysterious marks” found on Baldwin’s firearm.

“We could have used that at trial,” he said. “It’s inexplicable that we didn’t have this report.”

I was informed that they had not granted an interview with Seth Kenney, the arms dealer who’s crucial in this case. According to Bowles, this missed opportunity for a conversation could have potentially contradicted Kenney’s testimonies.

Bowles stated that the manner in which this misuse of discovery occurred in Ms. Gutierrez Reed’s case was strikingly similar to how it unfolded in Mr. Baldwin’s case. He emphasized that the actions taken in this particular case are extremely serious, involving lies, deceit, and withholding evidence.

In her reply, Morrissey acknowledged that Kenney’s interview ought to have been disclosed, as it was withheld.

Morrissey stated, ‘He’s spot on.’ He added, ‘There’s no denying it was a mistake.’

However, she asserted that the interview repeated information already provided by Kenney, a fact which the defense was privy to. Additionally, she maintained that other statements lacked significance or applicability to Gutierrez Reed’s case.

She argued that the forensic report wouldn’t have benefited Bowles since his hypothesis revolved around the gun working correctly. Moreover, she explained that the oversight in not disclosing the report was unintentional.

“Nothing was intentionally buried,” she said.

Bowles is requesting either a retrial or the immediate dismissal of the case. Additionally, he has asked that attorney Morrissey not participate in the prosecution if the trial needs to be conducted again.

Morrissey contended that Bowles didn’t correctly propose a motion to exclude him from a potential re-trial, which means this denial of his request is justified.

Bowles requested the court to grant bail to his client, as she appeals her case. Gutierrez Reed has already spent six months in prison, serving an 18-month term.

Morrissey is additionally requesting the court to reconsider the case against Baldwin, claiming that Baldwin’s legal team misled the judge regarding the importance of the undisclosed bullet evidence.

Marlowe Sommer hasn’t made a decision about that motion yet. If it gets denied, Morrissey thinks the state might take the dismissal to a higher court for review.

2024-09-26 20:48

‘Rust’ Judge to Rule Next Week on Armorer’s Bid for New Trial

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