New evidence in the investigation of the fatal “Rust” shooting case suggests that the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, may have been under the influence and suffering from a hangover when the live bullet was loaded into the gun. Prosecutors have obtained documents stating that witnesses observed Hannah engaging in heavy drinking and marijuana use during the filming of Rust in New Mexico.
The Santa Fe District Attorney’s office is now emphasizing that, despite her alleged hangover, Hannah knowingly inserted a live round into a firearm that was intended to be used by an actor during a shooting scene involving other cast and crew members.
According to TMZ:
Hannah’s attorney, Jason Bowles, tells TMZ, “The prosecution has so mishandled this case and the case is so weak that they are now resorting to character assassination tactics to further taint the jury pool. This investigation and prosecution has not been about seeking Justice; for them it’s been about finding a convenient scapegoat.”
What’s more, Jason pointed fingers at Assistant Director Dave Halls — saying Hannah told him to let her know if Alec Baldwin would be handling the gun in question, but claims she was never given the heads up.
You’ll recall, the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec were dropped in April … but it’s clear prosecutors are still going hard against Hannah.
In a previous interview with TMZ, Hannah’s attorney, Jason Bowles, defended his client’s efforts to maintain a safe set but acknowledged that she was overwhelmed due to the film’s low budget.
