'Rust' armorer challenges involuntary manslaughter conviction, requests new trial

"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed's attorneys are challenging her involuntary manslaughter conviction she received in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, court earlier this month.

According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Gutierrez Reed's legal team filed an emergency motion for a new trial and release on March 15. 

Defense attorneys are also requesting the defendant be released from jail while deliberations proceed, according to The Associated Press.

Alec Baldwin's "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed is challenging her involuntary manslaughter conviction. (New Mexico Courts/ Santa Fe Sheriffs)

Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras, attorneys for Gutierrez Reed, argued in their motion, which was released Monday, that instructions given to the jury during the trial "could confuse the jury and lead to a nonunanimous verdict," according to The Associated Press. Per the outlet, similar objections were made during the trial and rejected.

ALEC BALDWIN'S ‘RUST’ ARMORER CONVICTED OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

Bowles and Barreras cited a New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in their motion for a new trial, according to the Santa Fe Reporter. 

"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on March 6. (Courtesy: Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility/Getty Images)

The New Mexico vs. Taylor case on March 14 reversed child abuse convictions based on jury error, according to the outlet. It noted that "the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court on writ would almost certainly have to overturn the result in this case," on a similar basis.

Bowles told Fox News Digital, "We believe the New Mexico Supreme Court in Taylor has addressed this issue now on the jury instruction error of using and/or and not having a unanimous verdict on a particular act and I believe Hannah is entitled to a new trial on this basis."

Hannah Gutierrez Reed in a New Mexico court room. (Courtesy: New Mexico Courts)

On March 6, a jury found Gutierrez Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The armorer was responsible for the gun that discharged a live bullet on the Western film set. Hutchins was in the line of fire when actor Alec Baldwin pulled the gun out of his holster on Oct. 21, 2021.

Gutierrez Reed was also found not guilty of evidence tampering, a charge she received in 2023 after investigators accused her of passing off a bag of cocaine on the day of the fatal set shooting.

On March 16, Baldwin's legal team asked a New Mexico judge to dismiss the indictment against him related to the fatal shooting on the "Rust" movie set, saying prosecutors acted unethically and failed to present crucial evidence to the grand jury.

The attorneys argued that the state has violated "nearly every rule in the book" in an effort to convict Baldwin in the fatal movie set shooting of Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin's legal team asked a New Mexico judge to dismiss the indictment against him on March 16. (Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department)

"Enough is enough," the lawyers wrote. "This is an abuse of the system, and an abuse of an innocent person whose rights have been trampled to the extreme," they wrote in a court filing. 

Baldwin was indicted on two counts — involuntary manslaughter, negligent use of a firearm, or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection — on Jan. 19.

The jury for Gutierrez Reed's trial deliberated for less than three hours at the New Mexico courthouse. After the verdict was read, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ordered Gutierrez Reed be taken into custody, where she will remain until she is sentenced.

Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez Reed were both indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges for the death of Halyna Hutchins. (Getty Images)

"I'm going to remand you," Sommer told the courtroom. "The reason is you are now convicted, and this is a death." Gutierrez Reed was immediately taken into custody by deputies and has an April 15 sentencing date.

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She faces up to 18 months in prison, in addition to a $5,000 fine.

The armorer's trial, which began Feb. 21, saw testimony from weapons experts, FBI and Santa Fe County authorities and crew members who witnessed the fatal shooting.

Halyna Hutchins died on Oct. 21, 2021 after being in Baldwin's line of fire when he pulled his gun out of the holster on the set of "Rust." (Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie)

The prosecution largely focused on Gutierrez Reed's behavior as an armorer, claiming she didn't do her job correctly.

"Hannah Gutierrez knew that Baldwin was loose. She knew it," special prosecutor Kari Morrissey said during closing arguments. "She didn't do anything about it, even though it was her job. It was her job. It is her job to say to an A-list actor, if in fact, that's what you want to call him, 'Hey, you can't behave that way with those firearms.' That is her job. That is what they pay her for. That is the job that she applied for. That is the job that she accepted."

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Gutierrez Reed's legal team had told the jury that the prosecution hadn't presented enough evidence to convict the armorer of involuntary manslaughter.

Gutierrez Reed's trial began with jury selection on Feb. 21. (Courtesy: New Mexico Courts)

"They can't come in here with a straight face and mock us and criticize us and tell you they have given you enough to convict her beyond a reasonable doubt because they haven't," Bowles told the jury.

Bowles claimed there were factors outside of Gutierrez Reed's control that occurred on set, leading to the fatal shooting.

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"Whoever put the live round on set and then Mr. Baldwin, in the end, going off script and doing what he did," the lawyer said. "Those are outside events outside of Ms. Gutierrez Reed's control that she didn't know was going to happen."

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz and Tracy Wright contributed to this report