Rust weapons supervisor was likely hungover on set, prosecutors claim

The shooting happened in Bonanaza Creek Ranch, New Mexico where Rust was being filmed

A weapons supervisor on the set of Alec Baldwin's film Rust was likely hungover on the day a cinematographer was fatally shot, prosecutors allege.

They accuse Hannah Gutierrez-Reed of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in the evenings during filming.

In response, her lawyer said prosecutors had mishandled the case and resorted to "character assassination".

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed after a gun Mr Baldwin had been rehearsing with went off on set in October 2021.

The actor was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter over the incident, but the charges were dropped in April. Filming resumed later that month.

Lawyers for the weapons supervisor have filed a motion seeking to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge brought against her. The prosecution's new accusations were made in response to that motion.

They accuse Ms Gutierrez-Reed of having a history of reckless conduct and argue it would be in the public interest for her to "finally be held accountable".

• How the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfolded

"The case is so weak that they now have chosen to resort to character assassination claims about Hannah," her lawyer, Jason Bowles, told the Associated Press.

"The prosecution has abandoned the idea of doing justice and getting to the actual truth," he said.

Ms Gutierrez-Reed is due to attend a preliminary hearing in August, where it will be decided whether the charge against her will be taken further.

Prosecutors are also expected to decide within the next 60 days whether to recharge Mr Baldwin. They said that decision would depend on the results of a new analysis of the gun.

A lawyer for the star previously called the initial decision to charge his client "a terrible miscarriage of justice".

"Mr Baldwin had no reason to believe there was a live bullet in the gun - or anywhere on the movie set," Luke Nikas said.

In the latest filing, prosecutors also said they were trying to find out where the live rounds came from, and that there is evidence pointing to the possibility that Ms Gutierrez-Reed introduced them to the set.

If that is the case, more criminal charges against her may follow, they said.

Defence lawyer Bowles has previously said Ms Gutierrez-Reed never bought or had access to the type of ammunition that killed Hutchins.