‘Rust’ trial: Director recalls being shot by Alec Baldwin
Rust director Joel Souza has described being shot by Alec Baldwin during the manslaughter trial of armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in Santa Fe, New Mexico over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
While Rust was being filmed in 2021, Baldwin, who starred in the movie, fired a live round which killed Hutchins and also injured Souza. Gutierrez-Reed is now on trial for involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. If she’s found guilty, the armourer could face a maximum of three years in prison.
Souza, who was in charge of directing the film, testified in the trail on March 1st. While speaking in court, he claimed to have moved behind Hutchins for camera angle purposes, and never saw Baldwin fire the gun.
“I got up behind her just to try to see on the monitor and there was an incredibly loud bang. This was deafening,” he recalled.
The director also claimed to have seen Gutierrez-Reed after the incident, who allegedly said to Souza, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry Joel.”
He added: “And I remember somebody just screaming at her and they just ushered her out.”
Souza’s comments come after the courtroom was previously shown footage of Baldwin waving the gun prior to the shooting.
Additionally, prosecutor Jason Lewis claimed during the first day of the trial that it was Gutierrez-Reed’s “unprofessional” conduct that caused the death of Hutchins. Lewis alleges that she twice failed to check the ammunition in Baldwin’s gun before it was used.
He told the court in his opening statement: “The defendant treated the safety protocols as if they were optional rather than as if people’s lives counted on her doing her job correctly. By failing to make those vital safety checks, the defendant acted negligently and without due caution. The decision she made that day contributed to Ms. Hutchins’ death.”
The court case began on February 22nd and is expected to last two weeks. If Gutierrez-Reed is found guilty, she could face a maximum of three years in prison. Furthermore, Alec Baldwin will also take to the stand this summer following a manslaughter charge.
This is a developing story.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.