Alec Baldwin arraignment date set for February 1: Actor will appear virtually on involuntary manslaughter charges for Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin will appear in court Thursday on charges of involuntary manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed a camerawoman on a film set.

The A-list actor will be arraigned in the First Judicial District Court in New Mexico, although he will appear virtually.

The movie star, named in the Alexander Rae Baldwin case, was charged after a grand jury voted to indict him on Jan. 19.

Baldwin was fatally shot camera operator Halyna Hutchins on the set of his ill-fated western film Rust, when a prop gun was loaded with live bullets.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, died in an ambulance on the way to hospital

The grand jury indicted him for negligent use of a firearm and disregard for the safety of others in the Oct. 21, 2021, shooting.

He faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted, but previous charges filed by prosecutors in New Mexico were dismissed last April.

Baldwin has always maintained that he followed gun safety laws, and that the fault lies with the gunsmith or crew who handed him a weapon with a live bullet.

He insists he confirmed the gun was “cold,” meaning it contained no live ammunition, when he took it to rehearse the scene.

Gloria Allred, the attorney for Halyna’s parents and sister, said in response to the new charges: “Our clients have always sought the truth about what happened on the day Halyna Hutchins was tragically shot and killed.

“They continue to seek the truth for them in our civil lawsuit and also want accountability in the criminal justice system.

“The grand jury has determined there is sufficient evidence to indict Alec Baldwin on a charge of involuntary manslaughter.

“We look forward to the criminal trial that will determine whether he should be convicted for Halyna’s untimely death.”

A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office on Camino Justicia after being questioned

Baldwin in costume at the shooting of Rust, which continued filming after a long break after the fatal shooting, but does not yet have a release date

Baldwin’s attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas responded, “We look forward to our day in court.”

They responded to the suit almost immediately, arguing that continued media attention to his case could change a jury’s ability to be impartial.

The filings noted that a speedy trial would “minimize public vilification and suspicion,” and “could avoid the dangers of proving his innocence that often arise after a prolonged delay in prosecution.”

The gunmaker from the film set, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, will stand trial in February after pleading not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors accused her of failing to properly check the gun’s ammunition and allowing live rounds on the film set.

Baldwin was practicing drawing the prop gun from his holster when he claims it spontaneously fired.

He has always maintained that he did not pull the trigger.

But a new report from Lucien Haag of Forensic Science Services in Arizona states that the trigger “had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver.”

Alec Baldwin and Halyna Hutchins, along with other cast, are pictured on the Rust set

This aerial view shows part of the Bonanza Creek Ranch film set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the scene of the horror shooting

Baldwin launched a media tour in the weeks following Hutchins’ death, insisting it was a tragic accident and not a murder for which he was responsible.

He was initially charged in January 2023 by New Mexico’s first judicial district attorney, Mary Carmack-Altwies, who launched her own media tour shortly after filing charges.

Baldwin’s team interpreted her enthusiasm for the cause as a fame-hungry attempt to boost her own career.

After hashing it out with his team in the court of public opinion, Carmack-Altwies withdrew from the case and a special prosecutor was appointed to take over the case.

That team opted to drop charges against Baldwin, who had already settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Hutchins’ family.

The scandal – which is now back in the news with the new series of charges – has damaged the actor’s reputation and earning power.

Baldwin appeared breezy on the beach earlier this month in a real estate video to promote the sale of his home in the Hamptons.

He is selling the property for $19 million – $10 million less than he first put it on the market. Many see it as a desperate cash grab to pay his mounting legal bills.

Baldwin with his wife Hilaria and their seven children in October

Baldwin may be sweating because he was facing charges he thought were gone, but the best lawyer he hired to argue his case has never lost in court.

A favorite for celebrities facing legal troubles, Alex Spiro has been hailed as a “force of nature” and credited for his impeccable record in jury trials.

A source told DailyMail.com that “New Mexico prosecutors have no idea what awaits them…Alex is a force of nature.”

The Miami-based attorney is known for working with high-profile names – his client list includes Jay-Z, Naomi Osaka, Elon Musk and Megan Thee Stallion, as well as NBA basketball stars and famous athletes.

Although he also takes on lesser-known cases, the Harvard law graduate has built a reputation for getting the job done after starting his career as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.