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New Mexico judge to weigh whether ‘Rust’ armorer Hannah Gutierrez should be freed

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New Mexico judge to weigh whether 'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez should be freed

As a seasoned observer of legal proceedings and a follower of this tragic incident from the very beginning, I find myself deeply concerned about the ongoing saga of the “Rust” shooting. The series of events that have unfolded since the fatal accident have been nothing short of perplexing, with allegations of evidence being withheld, misconduct, and disputes over key witnesses.

After a month since the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the “Rust” tragedy were dropped, a New Mexico judge signaled that they might reconsider Hannah Gutierrez’s case too – either for her release or a retrial. As a movie enthusiast, I eagerly await the court’s decision on this matter.

Following a two-week court case, I found myself standing convicted for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the tragic demise of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, back in March.

On that particular day, Gutierrez admitted to having loaded the firearm. However, the prosecution claims that Gutierrez carried live ammunition with her to the “Rust” film set close to Santa Fe, NM, in October 2021, a charge which Gutierrez has repeatedly disputed.

Since July, when Baldwin’s case fell apart due to disclosures about Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies and a special prosecutor concealing possible evidence from the attorney team of the actor-producer, the legal team responsible for the prosecution has been in an uproar.

On the third day of the high-profile trial in Santa Fe, the revelation made by the actor left both the judge and New Mexico’s legal circle in a state of shock.

Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer of New Mexico’s First Judicial District expressed strong displeasure towards the deputies and special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey, as they were accused of concealing potential evidence that might have benefited Alec Baldwin’s case.

Previously employed as a police officer in Arizona, an individual handed ammunition to deputies back in March, indicating that it could potentially correspond with the bullet used in the “Rust” film set tragedy which claimed the life of cinematographer Hutchins.

However, the deputies assigned the evidence bag a case number distinct from that used for the “Rust” shooting investigation, which made it challenging for Baldwin’s legal team to locate the bullets as they searched through the sheriff’s files and boxes of evidence in preparation for the actor’s trial.

Following the dismissal of charges against Baldwin, attorney Jason Bowles, representing Gutierrez in Albuquerque, submitted a request to secure her release from the New Mexico women’s prison, where she is presently incarcerated due to an 18-month sentence for a felony conviction.

In a court filing, Bowles contended that during the Gutierrez trial, Morrissey failed to disclose evidence such as an interview recording with crucial witness Seth Kenney, who supplied weapons. This omission was one of several serious and persistent discovery infractions by the state, according to Bowles. He petitioned for a fresh trial or the dismissal of the Gutierrez case on these grounds.

In his writing, Bowles strongly argued that the state had clearly infringed upon Ms. Gutierrez’s rights under due process. He urged the judge to either grant a new trial or dismiss the case altogether, citing serious misconduct by the prosecution. Furthermore, he suggested that the court should immediately release Ms. Gutierrez.

As a seasoned movie buff who has watched countless courtroom dramas, I can’t help but feel a pang of anticipation as I eagerly await the verdict on Gutierrez’s case scheduled for Sept. 27. Having seen the twists and turns that justice can take in real life, I know all too well that every hearing is a potential game-changer. As a lover of truth and fairness, I hope that the court will make a decision that brings justice to the heart of this matter, whether it means releasing Gutierrez or ordering a retrial. Only time will tell, but as I wait, I can’t help but feel the tension building like the climax of a thriller, with each passing day bringing us closer to resolution.

Morrissey has denied the allegations of misconduct and has opposed the motion for a new trial.

As a movie buff diving into the intricacies of this case, I can’t help but observe that I became privy to the fact that Bowles had knowledge about the ammunition cartridges given to deputies back in March – a piece of evidence that has been under contention in the Baldwin case.

Troy Teske, a former police officer and close friend of Thell Reed (a well-known Hollywood gun handler), was the one who brought the ammunition to New Mexico. However, Morrissey claims that these bullets were not significant to the case because they were located in Arizona during the time of the “Rust” film set shooting incident.

Teske had traveled to Santa Fe in March, anticipating that he might be summoned as a defense witness. However, Bowles opted not to have Teske take the stand.

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2024-08-20 22:02

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