Alec Baldwin demands his ‘Rust’ trial for manslaughter of Halyna Hutchins begins ‘sooner rather than later’ to ‘minimize public vilification’

Alec Baldwin has filed a petition to have his manslaughter trial take place “sooner rather than later” in an effort to “minimize public vilification.”

The 65-year-old actor has been ordered to appear before a judge in New Mexico after prosecutors charged him for a second time last week over the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ film set “Rust.”

Court documents first obtained by TMZ found that he has until February 1 to officially plead to the charges. He has consistently denied any responsibility for the shooting.

The documents reportedly asked Baldwin’s attorney to exercise the actor’s constitutional right to a speedy trial.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by Baldwin during the 2021 film ‘Rust’, with a gun that the actor insists was loaded with blanks

Baldwin may not have to physically travel to New Mexico for his Feb. 1 court hearing because he has the option of appearing via phone or video conference.

His lawyers reportedly responded to the charges almost immediately in court filings, arguing that continued media interest in 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, which often arise after a long delay in prosecution.”

Baldwin was faced with the new charge of involuntary manslaughter by negligent use of a firearm last week, similar charges he previously faced before they were dropped last year.

The 65-year-old claims he was under the impression the gun he was given on the film set was a prop gun loaded with blanks.

He claims he never pulled the trigger, and said the gun unexpectedly fired a live bullet when he pulled back and released the hammer, ultimately killing Hutchins and wounding the film’s director.

Prosecutors have countered that Baldwin should have personally checked that the gun was not loaded with live ammunition, despite such ammunition already being banned on film sets.

After the second set of charges, his attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas said in a statement that they “look forward to our day in court.”

If convicted, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.

Baldwin pictured in costume during the shooting of the western, after the fatal shooting

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

The actor was seen hanging out outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office park grounds after being asked about the 2021 accidental shooting

Movie set gunmaker Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will go on trial in February, where she has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

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

Baldwin was not seen for almost a week after the last charge.

When he decided to go out, his wife Hilaria was spotted in a very distracting outfit in an attempt to make her husband come to their Manhattan apartment unnoticed.

The 40-year-old yoga instructor donned a rather dazzling ensemble for a coffee run in New York City on Monday morning.

Her racy daytime attire was spotted on the streets of the Big Apple on the same day Baldwin left his SUV blocks from his home to take a secret cab, hoping to avoid any attention in the wake of his charges.

Hilaria was previously seen for the first time after the charges and tried to keep a low profile, wearing sunglasses and a long black winter coat.

Hilaria Baldwin wore a very distracting outfit just days after her husband Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the Rust shooting

Alec Baldwin returns to his New York City home after trading his SUV twelve blocks from home to take a cab and sneak into a side gate of his building, after his wife tried to be a ‘distraction’, dressed in spicy clothes during the day

An insider warns New Mexico prosecutors ‘have no idea what’s coming’ as A-lister attorney Alex Spiro prepares to help Baldwin fight charges

While Baldwin may be sweating over being accused of charges he thought were gone, 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 Spiro will throw his support behind Baldwin, saying, “New Mexico prosecutors have no idea what’s in store for 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.

“My instinct is often to rally behind people who are being attacked,” Spiro previously told Vanity Fair.