Following Guilty Verdict In Involuntary Manslaughter Trial Of ‘Rust’ Armorer, How Film Sets Have Changed To Guard Against Future Accidents
The armorer on the set of the movie Rust was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was shot by a live round fired from a handgun held by actor Alec Baldwin. The set armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was also acquitted of tampering with evidence in the case stemming from the 2021 fatal shooting. Gutierrez Reed, who had pleaded not guilty to all charges, now faces 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. Prosecutors sought to show the 26-year-old armorer, who was overseeing guns and ammunition on the Western movie set at the time, acted with “willful disregard” for the safety of others. During the two-week trial, prosecutors alleged Gutierrez-Reed brought live ammunition onto the set while openly ignoring basic industry gun-safety guidelines. Gutierrez had acknowledged that she loaded the gun, but insisted she thought they were “dummy” rounds. Baldwin, the lead actor and a producer of the film, is also facing an involuntary manslaughter charge after being indicted by a grand jury in January. He has pleaded not guilty and denied that he even pulled the trigger. He's expected to appear in court in July.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk with Los Angeles Times Senior Entertainment Industry Writer Meg James, who has been following the trial, about how the two sides made their case and what changes and precautions have been implemented on movie sets since the shooting to prevent future injuries and deaths. And if you work in the film or TV industry, and particularly if you are an armorer or a weapons master, we’d like to hear from you -- what changes have you observed with how weapons are handled? You can join our live conversation by calling 866-893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
With files from Makenna Sievertson at LAist.com. Read her full story here.
Hoboken Has Seemingly Eliminated Traffic Fatalities–Can LA Do The Same?
Transportation safety on LA’s streets has been a growing issue for Angelenos with 337 traffic deaths being reported for 2023. On the ballot this election was Measure HLA, also known as Healthy Streets LA, which would implement safety measures such as protected bike lanes and wider crosswalks among other things to decrease traffic fatalities. Such implementations have seen success in other major US cities. Hoboken, New Jersey is a prime example, whose 2018 initiative to follow Vision Zero guidelines has resulted in zero traffic accident deaths for the last seven years. Joining us today on AirTalk to talk about Hoboken’s success and whether such changes are possible for LA are Alissa Walker, a Los Angeles based writer who covers transportation, and Tamika Butler, social justice advocate and private consultant focused on equitable transportation policy.
Lights, Camera, Green Juice! What Movies Are Quintessentially Californian?
There’s something special about California, wouldn’t you say? A certain je ne CA quoi? Maybe it’s the unique quality of the light, or the fact that so many Californians started their lives somewhere else, coming here with just a dream and stars in their eyes. Whatever it is, generations of filmmakers have tried to capture the rich complexities and many contradictions of the Golden State on screen–some with more success than others. So today on AirTalk, we’re talking California movies, and we want to hear from you: what, to you, is the quintessentially Californian movie? From the big dogs (like Chinatown) to more off-the-beaten-track picks (like 2022’s Nope). Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com. Joining us to discuss is Amy Nicholson, who writes on film for the New York Times and hosts the podcast, Unspooled.
You Can Capture Stormwater On Your Own Property. Here’s How To Do It
Every time rain falls in Southern California, gigantic pieces of infrastructure come to life in an effort to sequester as much of the stormwater as possible. Water agencies implement dry wells, dams and spreading grounds the size of neighborhoods to give each drop a chance to percolate deep into the soil and refill our overdrawn reservoirs. The problem is we've all but run out of room for spreading grounds, and while the water agencies are implementing other options, you can make a difference at the household level as well. Today on AirTalk, LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis joins to discuss the process of capturing stormwater at home and how you can do it on your property. Questions? Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
History Of Latino Politics In Los Angeles Explored In Gustavo Arellano’s New Four Part Series ‘Power y Glory’
Los Angeles Times Columnist Gustavo Arellano has covered Southern California for a long time. He’s a lifelong OC resident who reported for OC Weekly and also wrote a satire column for them called “Ask A Mexican.” He’s a go-to resource on SoCal Mexican food -- he even wrote a book called Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.” And since 2020, he’s covered all things SoCal as a columnist for the L.A. Times. But one thing he never really imagined covering was the ins and outs of Los Angeles’ complex and sometimes ruthless political machine. That changed in 2022, when Gustavo began following the story and eventual downfall of former L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Then in 2023 came the release of recordings of then LA City Council President Nury Martinez, the first Latina to lead the council, making racist comments. He was drawn to the layers of it all, and wanted to dig deeper into the history of Latinos in L.A. politics. His new series in the Los Angeles Times is called “Power y Glory: Latino Politics in Los Angeles” and Gustavo Arellano joins me now to talk about his reporting.
Today on AirTalk, Gustavo and Loyola Marymount Professor of Political Science and Chicano/Latino studies Fernando Guerra join Austin Cross to talk about the history of Latino politics in Los Angeles.
TV-Talk: ‘The Gentlemen,’ ‘Elsbeth,’ ‘Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin,’ And More
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Marcus Jones, awards editor for Television and Film at Indiewire and Kathryn VanArendonk, television critic at Vulture.
