The involuntary manslaughter trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has experienced tense moments as it nears conclusion. The defense’s gun safety expert, Frank Koucky III, handled a weapon in a manner that visibly unnerved the courtroom, including Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer and the jury. This was reported by Law & Crime.
In one instance, Judge Sommer had to reprimand Koucky for his lack of demonstration that the firearms in use were indeed unloaded, causing anxiety in the courtroom. In response to the Judge’s request, Koucky lowered the gun he was holding but then raised it in the direction of the judge. This move prompted the courtroom deputy to intervene by redirecting the muzzle of the gun away from the judge and towards the floor.
Koucky’s action became the hot topic of prosecution questioning, presented by Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey. Morrissey took Koucky to task on the basics of gun safety after he appeared to direct the weapon towards the judge, which he denied doing. The defense’s gun expert explained that he had raised the gun’s muzzle “into the space up here”, never directly at Judge Sommer.
This shocking incident acts as a stark reminder of the importance of thorough safety measures when handling firearms, whether they are real or part of a movie set.