EXCLUSIVE: Alec Baldwin spotted at a sushi restaurant with Rust producer Matt DelPiano just days before his involuntary manslaughter trial is set to start in New Mexico. The 66-year-old actor sat at the bar chatting with DelPiano at the restaurant in Venice Beach, California. Looking a little disheveled in a blue jacket and baggy grey trousers, he was later photographed leaving, pushing a small suitcase and carrying a bag. The trial over the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on a film set will go ahead after a judge rejected a bid to throw the case out. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer sided with prosecutors in denying a request to dismiss the charge on the grounds key evidence was damaged by the FBI during forensic testing. Baldwin's legal team had argued this prevented their own testing of the gun that fired the bullet which killed Halyna Hutchins during the filming of the Western movie Rust in October 2021. Hutchins, 42, was shot after Baldwin pointed a gun at her as she set up a camera during a rehearsal on set near Santa Fe. The 30 Rock star has denied responsibility for Hutchins' death, saying the gun went off on its own after he pointed it at the cinematographer and cocked it. He denies pulling the trigger - a claim that has become central to the case. The judge's ruling removed one of the last hurdles before prosecutors can bring the case to trial with jury selection scheduled for July 9. Attorneys plan to call on testimony at trial from a selection of more than 60 court-approved witnesses. 01 Jul 2024,Image: 886662474, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights, Model Release: no, Pictured: Alec Baldwin and Matt DelPiano

Platoul de filmare al filmului Rust, unde Alec Baldwin a omorat-o pe directoarea de imagine in octombrie 2021. Foto: Hepta

EXCLUSIVE: Alec Baldwin hails a cab in NYC after his epic quest to get his wife to a million followers. In a desperate video plea, he begged his fans to follow her in hopes of reaching the coveted milestone. In an Instagram post uploaded yesterday, he ended his 1 minute 40 second long video with "I wanna get my wife to a million followers, please follow my wife" Pictured: Alec Baldwin,Image: 748281788, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -POL, -PRT, -RUS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin a plâns în timpul interviului oferit ABC News | Foto: captură Youtube

October 7, 2021, New York City, New York, USA: ALEC BALDWIN at opening night of The Hamptons International Film Festival,.Guild Hall, East Hampton, NY.October 7, 2021. (Credit Image: © Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA Press Wire)

Props expert Guillaume Delouche at Independent Studio Services holds a prop gun while talking about them in Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles, California on October 22, 2021. The fatal shooting of a crew member by actor Alec Baldwin during the making of a movie in the western United States has raised questions over the use of guns on film sets. Hollywood armorer Guillaume Delouche -- who has been supplying weapons to filmmakers for three decades, with 75 titles to his name -- says there are usually multiple safeguards against tragedy.,Image: 639303591, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY LAURENT BANGUET: "Guns on film: How are they used safely?", Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

October 22, 2021, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA: Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputy unit at the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set where an accident involving actor Alec Baldwin took place on Thursday October 21. Producer and actor Baldwin fired the prop gun that killed one crew member and injured another on the set of the movie ''Rust'' in New Mexico, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said. The film's director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed, and director Joel Souza, 48, was injured when Baldwin, 63, discharged the stage firearm, the agency said.,Image: 639316094, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Profimedia

Alec Baldwin. Foto: Profimedia Images

US actor Alec Baldwin