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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The armorer on the New Mexico set of the film "Rust" has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was struck by a bullet discharged from a prop gun wielded by actor Alec Baldwin, and is waiting to be sentenced Thursday.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, showed little emotion as the New Mexico jury's verdict was read, convicting her of involuntary manslaughter but acquitting her of evidence tampering. She was taken into custody immediately following the jury's verdict.
The jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching its verdict. Gutierrez-Reed faces up to 18 months in prison. A sentencing date was not immediately set.
Baldwin, 65, is scheduled to go on trial in July on the same involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from the Oct. 21, 2021, shooting that occurred inside a church set, where Baldwin was wielding a supposed prop gun while helping set camera angles for a scene.
The weapon discharged, killing the 42-year-old Hutchins and wounding film director Joel Souza.
Baldwin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing stemming from the shooting, which reverberated through the film industry and prompted calls for revamped safety standards on sets, particularly involving weapons.
Baldwin has maintained he did not pull the trigger on the gun, and said he had been told it was "cold" -- meaning it did not contain live ammunition.
The actor known for films such as "The Hunt for Red October" and TV appearances including "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live" was originally charged along with Gutierrez-Reed in January 2023, but prosecutors dropped the charges against him four months later, citing "new facts" that left them unable to proceed with the case.
Baldwin's attorneys at the time were questioning whether the prop gun that Baldwin was holding on the movie set during a rehearsal was functioning properly when it fired the live round.
In January of this year, Baldwin was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury, again on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin has pleaded not guilty.
"Rust" assistant director David Halls previously pleaded no contest earlier to a charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon in exchange for a suspended sentence and six months probation. He testified during Gutierrez- Reed's trial.
Sheriff's investigators eventually determined that live ammunition was found on the "Rust" set, mixed with blanks that are traditionally used in film production.
Filming on "Rust" -- for which Baldwin is a producer -- was suspended after the shooting, but has since resumed, with Hutchins' husband serving as a producer under the terms of a lawsuit settlement.