“Rust” gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed gets 18 months in prison. Maximum sentence “doesn’t bode well” for Alec Baldwin, says expert.

rust Gunsmith Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the murder of camerawoman Halyna Hutchins. Gutierrez-Reed, who was found guilty of manslaughter in March, received the maximum sentence because the judge agreed with prosecutors that she appeared to show no remorse for her role in the fatal accident.

“The word 'remorse,' a deep regret that arises from a sense of guilt for past wrongs … that does not apply to you,” said Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer.

Hutchins was killed on October 21, 2021, when a live bullet fired from a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin. As the film's gun handler, Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for ensuring that live ammunition was available on set, which was eventually loaded into the .45 revolver.

👩‍⚖️ Gutierrez-Reed cried before the judge announced the verdict while the defense requested a conditional discharge

According to NBC News, she addressed the court and said, “My heart aches for Hutchins and her friends and family.” She called Hutchins an “inspiration.”

“I beg you, don’t give me any more time,” Gutierrez-Reed said.

Gutierrez-Reed's lawyers hoped the judge would take into account her “complete lack of criminal history,” Fox News reported. A conditional release is not a conviction under New Mexico law.

“A conditional release would require Ms. Gutierrez-Reed to comply with all established conditions during her probationary period and to undergo all counseling and rehabilitation required by this court,” Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys said in the documents.

⚖️ Prosecutors demanded a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison

In a court document obtained by NBC News, prosecutors highlighted that Gutierrez-Reed called the jurors who convicted her “idiots” and “assholes” in recorded phone calls from jail and expressed regret that the deliberations lasted only two hours. Prosecutors argued that Gutierrez-Reed's behavior in the phone calls with her mother, boyfriend and legal team showed that she “completely and utterly refuses to accept responsibility for her actions.”

That was one of the first things prosecutors discussed in court on Monday as they presented their arguments to the judge for the maximum sentence. The judge clearly agreed.

Prosecutors also noted in their court filings that Gutierrez-Reed “wants them to put Alec Baldwin in jail, too.” She allegedly claimed that she would not appear if subpoenaed for Baldwin's trial because he “did not show up for her,” according to NBC.

📝 The court heard emotional impact statements

rust Among the speakers was director Joel Souza, who was injured in the shooting.

“One moment the world made sense, and the next moment it didn't. It still doesn't, and I don't know if it ever will again,” he said in a virtual phone call, CBS News reported. “Those of us who were lucky enough to be there [Hutchins’s] It has made the fleeting time on this planet better.”

Two of Hutchins' friends and her former agent also spoke in court. Attorney Gloria Allred read a statement from Hutchins' mother, Olga, who was also seen in a video from Ukraine. “It's the worst thing to lose a child,” she said. “And time doesn't heal anything. It's been two and a half years and it's getting worse.”

🔮 What does this mean for Baldwin?

Experts had previously told Yahoo that the outcome of this trial was important to Baldwin – and they are convinced that this is still true today.

“The verdict against Ms. Gutierrez-Reed is indicative of the trial judge's assessment of the seriousness of this rather unusual offense. Even if Ms. Gutierrez-Reed did not intend to hurt anyone, the fact that her actions resulted in Ms. Hutchins' death likely contributed to the high sentence,” attorney Mark Sedlander of the Los Angeles law firm Mancini Shenk told Yahoo after the verdict.

“The same reasoning could apply to Mr. Baldwin if he is convicted. Judges tend to avoid imposing disparities in sentencing between similarly situated defendants. A large prison sentence for Ms. Gutierrez-Reed does not bode well for Mr. Baldwin,” Sedlander continued. “Although Mr. Baldwin is still presumed innocent, Ms. Gutierrez-Reed's sentence will likely be Mr. Baldwin's primary concern as he prepares for his trial.”

However, Sedlander noted that Baldwin, as an actor and producer, was “less directly involved” than Gutierrez-Reed as the on-set gunsmith.

“The judge may find him less guilty than Ms. Gutierrez-Reed if convicted. But after Ms. Gutierrez-Reed's conviction today, Mr. Baldwin is more likely to face prison if convicted,” Sedlander concluded.

Baldwin's manslaughter trial is scheduled for July 10.