Alec Baldwin Unlikely To Testify Against 'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed

Actor Alec Baldwin is not expected to testify against "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed when her trial begins in February 2024.

The rookie armorer is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one charge of tampering with evidence in connection with the October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

On October 21, 2021, “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of the Western film when a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin went off, striking and killing her. Director Joel Souza, who was standing behind Hutchins, was hospitalized as a result of the incident.

However, according to an amended witness list obtained by Fox News, Alec Baldwin is not expected to testify against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. Although her trial was initially scheduled for December 2023, it has been postponed until February 2024. It was been reported that the reason for the delay is due to the difficulty of coordinating witnesses.

The current witness list has been amended thirteen times. Director Joel Souza and assistant director Dave Halls, who pled guilty to the charge of the negligent use of a deadly weapon and is facing probation, are both expected to testify.

Baldwin had also been facing criminal charges, but they were dropped in April 2023 pending further investigation on the gun involved in the shooting, which might have malfunctioned due to modifications. The charges were dropped without prejudice, which means that the charges could be refiled at any time.

Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have made it clear that the armorer was not inside the church when the shooting took place on a ranch in New Mexico, as per the Daily Mail. They claim that Dave Halls was supposed to call Hannah Gutierrez-Reed into the church to expect the gun prior to the rehearsal, which he did not do.

To prepare for the trial, “Rust” special prosecutors have issued a subpoena from “Rust” lawyers to obtain audio and video recordings that featured Alec Baldwin or Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on set as part of their case. Recent footage obtained by NBC News showed Baldwin telling Halyna Hutchins to step away from the camera as he rehearsed a scene that involved discharging a firearm.

In May, production of the Western film moved to Montana, with Alec Baldwin reprising his role as grandfather Harland Rust. Although some crew members, like “Supernatural” star Jensen Ackles, dropped out of the film, most of the original cast returned to finish up the film.

Matthew Hutchins, the cinematographer’s widower, is now listed as an executive producer on the finished film as part of a wrongful death lawsuit that was settled less than a year after her death. The film has not yet been given a release date.

The “30 Rock” actor announced his plans to retire from acting and start a reality series with his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, and the seven children that they are raising together in New York City. The 65-year-old actor also has a daughter, Ireland Baldwin, from his marriage to ex-wife Kim Basinger.

During a discussion with Kelly Ripa on SiriusXM’s Let’s Talk Off Camera, Alec Baldwin said that his goal is to eventually retire from acting due to the difficulties that involve traveling and raising seven children.

“In the old days I’d jump on a plane and go to LA and do a movie here or a few episodes of Will and Grace I did for a while,” he said via comments transcribed by the Daily Mail. “You know, different things like that. And it was easy to pick up and go. They don’t even have, I need 12 plane tickets, you know, nannies, kids, my wife, I need like 11. They don’t even have 11 seats in the business class section of the plane.”

He went on to explain the fees associated with traveling with such a large family. “We’d be in a hotel and we always stayed in the same hotel ’cause it was the only hotel that could put four suites together, so we could all live together,” he recalled. I said, ‘You realize we’re not gonna make a penny. The private plane, the hotel, the room service, we’re gonna break even on this job I’m doing.'”

Looking ahead to retirement, the “Supercell” actor said, “I’ve been working less and less and less and I’m home and my wife and we wanna travel the world with the kids. I mean, I wanna show seven kids Rome and London and Paris and Madrid and blah, blah, blah.”

“And we’re thinking about that now, where we have a different life in terms of work,” he continued. “I really do think about, you know, I’ve kinda had enough, I mean, I’ve done this for a long time and I wanna have a private life.”