Los Angeles, California – Actor Alec Baldwin’s attempt to have the involuntary manslaughter charge against him dismissed has been denied by a New Mexico judge. This decision comes just two weeks before Baldwin’s trial for the fatal shooting that occurred on the set of his film Rust in 2021, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins tragically lost her life.

New Mexico District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer rejected the 66-year-old actor’s plea to dismiss the charge, stating that it must be addressed during the upcoming trial, set to begin on July 9th with jury selection.

Baldwin, an Emmy award-winning actor, was holding a prop gun during a scene rehearsal on the set when it accidentally discharged, causing the tragic incident that took Hutchins’ life and injured director Joel Souza. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for the same involuntary manslaughter charge that Baldwin is facing.

Baldwin has consistently denied pulling the trigger and claimed ignorance about how live ammunition ended up in the prop gun on set. His defense argued that critical evidence, the firearm, was destroyed during testing by the FBI in 2022, preventing a full examination of the weapon in its original state.

While Baldwin’s legal team contended that the case should be dismissed due to the destruction of the gun, prosecutors maintain that there is still sufficient evidence for a defense, even without the intact weapon. Special prosecutor Erlinda Johnson emphasized that the gun’s exculpatory value is minimal and that Baldwin himself acknowledged to investigators that the gun had no mechanical defects.

Despite previous motions to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge being denied, Baldwin continues to face legal challenges both criminally and civilly. Alongside the criminal case, he is also confronted with several civil lawsuits, including one filed by Hutchins’ family alleging negligence and reckless behavior on Baldwin’s part.

In light of the ongoing legal battles, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria’s announcement of a reality show featuring their family has garnered attention. The actor is expected to attend the trial next month, despite his absence from pretrial hearings thus far.