Alec Baldwin’s trial for involuntary manslaughter in the case of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has been set for July 9.
In a filing with 1st Judicial District Court in Santa Fe County, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer wrote that jury selection is scheduled to take place that day and the trial proper is estimated to run for eight days between July 10 and July 19.
Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
The 65-year-old actor has said he did not pull the trigger on a Colt .45 during an on-set rehearsal at Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21, 2021.
The gun in his hand discharged and hit Hutchins, who was rushed to hospital and died later that day. It was subsequently discovered to contain a live round.
In January Baldwin was recharged with involuntary manslaughter by New Mexico prosecutors – after initial charges were dropped in April 2023 – when a new forensics investigation determined the actor could not have discharged the gun without pulling the trigger.
The actor was released without bail however he is prohibited from possessing firearms, leaving the United States, or discussing the case with any potential witness.
Separately, the involuntary manslaughter trial of Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed got underway in a New Mexico courtroom last week.
The prosecution has alleged 27-year-old Gutierrez-Reed, who was 24 at the time of the tragedy, failed to properly check the prop gun she handed to Alec Baldwin. They have labelled her conduct on set “sloppy” and said she acted as if safety protocols were “optional”.
Gutierrez-Reed has pleaded not guilty to two charges of involuntary manslaughter and one of evidence tampering.
Her lawyers have argued that she was a “scapegoat”, the “least powerful person” on a “chaotic” set who was being blamed for the mistakes of others and was saddled with additional responsibility of handling props.
If found guilty she faces up to three years in prison.
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