The trial for the weapons supervisor of the film "Rust", Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, has commenced in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Gutierrez-Reed is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in connection with the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021, at a movie ranch outside Santa Fe.

Gutierrez-Reed, who was 24 at the time of the incident, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies direct responsibility for Hutchins' death. Lead defense counsel Jason Bowles has cited workplace safety regulators' findings of broader issues beyond the armorer's control.

Prosecutors allege that Gutierrez-Reed unintentionally brought live ammunition onto the film set, where it was prohibited, and failed to ensure safety measures, ultimately loading a live round into the gun that killed Hutchins.

In a separate case, actor Alec Baldwin, who was involved in the shooting, has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge. The trial date for Baldwin has not yet been set. Prosecutors have dismissed a previous charge against him based on the gun potentially having been modified and malfunctioning.

The trial of Gutierrez-Reed saw jurors from the Santa Fe area being selected, with four alternates alongside a panel of 12 sworn in after a thorough selection process. If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Gutierrez-Reed faces up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys have criticized the evidence tampering charge against her as an attempt to tarnish her character, mentioning an accusation regarding a small bag of possible narcotics that was handed to a crew member post-shooting. Baldwin, on the other hand, has not been listed as a pretrial witness and could potentially invoke protections against self-incrimination.

The defense for Gutierrez-Reed argues that she is being unfairly targeted, claiming that live rounds arrived on set through a supplier of dummy rounds based in Albuquerque. The weapons supervisor is also facing a separate charge for carrying a gun into a bar in downtown Santa Fe, which the defense suggests is a tactic to force a false confession regarding the mishandling of live ammunition on the film set.

Overall, the trial sheds light on the complex circumstances surrounding the unfortunate shooting incident on the set of "Rust," with both Gutierrez-Reed and Baldwin facing legal proceedings in its aftermath.