@alcaprari23
Lewis explains that an armorer is responsible for purchasing blanks and dummy ammo. We are shown an image of a blank round. Three golden bullets are shown on the screen with a pinched end, the best indication that it is a blank since that is typically where the projectile goes.
Now three images of dummy rounds are shown. They look much more like a live bullet. Because they are designed to look like a live round, Lewis says it's important that every round is checked before putting them into a firearm. Lewis says HGR was required to check every single round before handing off a weapon to someone else.
Lewis explains to jury how you can distinguish a dummy from a live round: shake it to hear the BBs inside, see a hole that's on the side of the cartridge or notice that there is no primer at the tail end of the bullet.
"Ms. Gutierrez did not always adhere to these safety procedures... she often rushed through this critical step and sometimes she skipped this step altogether.”
Lewis is showing images of the Bonanza Creek Ranch, where RUST filming happened. You can see the old church where the shooting death occurred. Calls the day when the shooting happened "chaotic." Explains that some camera operators were disgruntled and threatened to quit. Producers decided to push ahead and film anyway and just use less camera equipment than normal.
We are now watching a video of Alec Baldwin inside the church, sitting on a pew and practicing his draw with the revolver from his holster. At first, his head is down as if he is dozing off. All of a sudden, he whips his head up and pulls the revolver out. Baldwin is wearing his costume and cowboy hat. They were rehearsing the scene and Lewis says there is no reason at all for a live round to be inside a live weapon at any point on set.
Lewis says HGR initially loaded five rounds into the six-shooter, but after lunch, loaded a sixth round into the chamber. Lewis says 1st AD Dave Halls did a sloppy check of the gun once it was passed to him. He was supposed to be the second layer of safety before handing the gun to Baldwin.
Lewis says HGR admits she did not check the weapon after lunch to independently inspect each and every round in the revolver. Says she SHOULD HAVE opened the gun, pulled out each round, shaken it to hear BBs or find a drilled hole. But she failed to do that check, Lewis says.
The gun was fired and the projectile went completely through Ms. Hutchins and then went through the shoulder of the director, Joel Souza. The set-paramedic began life-saving efforts. Another crew member called 911 to seek additional medical assistance. But it took time before medics could arrive.
"The decisions [Hannah Gutierrez-Reed] made that day ultimately contributed to Ms. Hutchin's death."
Lewis is now explaining the second crime she's accused of: Tampering with Evidence. Lewis says that one of her crewmates came to check in on her after the shooting back at the hotel. Lewis claims HGR handed her crewmate a bag of cocaine to "hold on to for her." Crewmate was reportedly surprised that HGR gave it to her and she threw the drugs away. Over the next several weeks, HGR allegedly texted the crewmate to "return her stuff.”
Lewis says over the next two weeks, the jury will hear from firearms experts, law enforcement members, FBI and forensics experts, image enhancement experts and witnesses on the set of Rust. That includes the director who was shot and others who were inside the church.
Prosecution is finished with its opening statement. Quick 10 minute bathroom break before the defense gets their shot at an opening statement.
Edited to included a few more posts.
