Alec Baldwin goes to trial for 'Rust' movie shooting: What you need to know

Nearly three years after the shooting death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin is heading to trial for his alleged involvement in the movie-set tragedy.

Baldwin's trial is set to begin Wednesday, with jury selection starting Tuesday.

The actor and producer was charged with involuntary manslaughter for the second time in January after previous charges against the 66-year-old actor had been dropped. He has pleaded not guilty.

Baldwin has denied responsibility for Hutchins' death, saying the gun went off on its own after he pointed it at the cinematographer and cocked it.

Here's everything you need to know.

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When is Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' trial?

Baldwin's trial in the "Rust" shooting case will begin July 10.

The trial comes four months after "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for mistakenly loading a live round into the revolver involved in the shooting.

In April, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison — the same term Baldwin could face if found guilty.

Will Alec Baldwin's trial be livestreamed?

Court TV and the Law & Crime Network will be livestreaming Baldwin's "Rust" trial on YouTube.

What is Alec Baldwin charged with in 'Rust' trial?

Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Hutchins.

Baldwin received the manslaughter charge on Jan. 19, 2023, but that was dropped three months later after prosecutors said they wanted more time to examine evidence. He was charged again on Jan. 19, 2024.

The refiled charge came in part from new evidence alleging the gun's trigger had to have been pulled to fire the bullet that killed Hutchins.

Alec Baldwin in court: Will the star appear for 'Rust' trial?

It's unclear if Baldwin will appear in court.

A legal expert told USA TODAY that the actor may not show up when his trial starts. "I don't think he'll testify, and I don't think he'll be convicted," entertainment attorney Tre Lovell said in February.

On July 8, he appeared in New Mexico court for a pretrial hearing, according to Rolling Stone and Fox News.

What happened during 'Rust' shooting?

Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins during a rehearsal for the Western film in October 2021 when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

The shooting resulted in a series of civil lawsuits, including wrongful death claims filed by members of Hutchins' family, centered on accusations that the defendants were lax with safety standards.

In 2022, Baldwin and the production company behind "Rust" reached a settlement with Hutchins' family in their wrongful death lawsuit.

Alec Baldwin faces new lawsuitfrom Halyna Hutchins' parents, sister over 'Rust' shooting

Alec Baldwin files motion to dismiss manslaughter charge in 'Rust' trial

Baldwin's request to dismiss his involuntary manslaughter charge was denied last month.

Baldwin's legal team said prosecutors built their case around the unproven hypothesis that the gun that killed Hutchins was properly functioning and could not have gone off unless he pulled the trigger. Baldwin's lawyers also alleged the gun was damaged during testing by the FBI following Hutchins' death.

Will Hannah Gutierrez-Reed be called to testify at Alec Baldwin's trial?

New Mexico Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey has called Gutierrez-Reed "an incredibly important witness" against Baldwin.

During a June 21 hearing, Morrissey said she still might call the armorer to the stand, though the judge said it was clear from preliminary interviews and from her lawyer's arguments that Gutierrez-Reed would not answer questions on the stand.

In pre-trial interviews, Gutierrez-Reed claimed her constitutional right to remain silent and not incriminate herself when questioned on firearms safety failures leading up to the shooting.

Prosecutors had requested that Gutierrez-Reed get so-called use immunity, preventing them from using anything she says at Baldwin's trial against her. The prosecutors' request was denied.

Read more:'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed denied immunity to testify at Alec Baldwin's trial

Will Alec Baldwin go to prison?

As an actor, Baldwin bears essentially no responsibility for Hutchins' death, experts say.

"If I'm out in the street and someone hands me a gun and I shoot it and injure someone, I'm negligent, but not so on a movie set where my only job is to act," entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told USA TODAY.

Read more:'Rust' crew walked off set to protest working conditions hours before cinematographer death, reports say

Much more likely is an effort by prosecutors to argue Baldwin as a producer is responsible for creating an atmosphere that led to the accidental death.

According to Rolling Stone and Fox News, Judge Mary Sommer ruled in a July 8 pretrial hearing that testimony about Baldwin's role as a producer on the film would not be allowed, arguing the "probative value is not substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice and certainly confusion of issues to the jury."

Safety on the 'Rust' set:Western movie receives maximum fine for gun safety failures in Alec Baldwin shooting

Is 'Rust' still coming out?

A release date for "Rust" has not been announced.

Contributing: Marco della Cava and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY; Brad Brooks, Andrew Hay, Jonathan Allen and Donna Bryso, Reuters