NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione will assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge said Wednesday.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro said Mangione’s lawyers informed him they will attempt to show that he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence.” The announcement came during a hearing in the case.
By pursuing this affirmative defense under New York law, Mangione would admit to the killing but argue mitigating circumstances that could reduce a second-degree murder conviction to first-degree manslaughter. If successful, it could result in a sentence of five to 25 years rather than a potential life term, according to court statements and legal reports.
Thompson, 50, was shot and killed on Dec. 4, 2024, outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel as he walked to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman approaching from behind. Prosecutors have said shell casings recovered at the scene were marked with the words “deny,” “depose” and “delay,” phrases associated with criticisms of health insurance practices.
Mangione, 28, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Authorities said evidence recovered included a 3D-printed firearm matching the murder weapon and a notebook containing writings critical of the health insurance industry.
The defense strategy was disclosed two weeks after a closed hearing requested by Mangione’s lawyers. Judge Carro said he plans to unseal related records. He ordered the defense to provide details of its psychiatric evidence, including the name of any expert witness, by Thursday.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state murder charges. His state trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8. A separate federal trial on related charges is set for October. Prosecutors have highlighted evidence of premeditation in seeking to convict him on the original charges.
The case has drawn significant public attention amid broader debates over health care costs and insurance practices, though court proceedings remain focused on the facts of the killing. Mangione’s attorneys have previously sought to suppress certain evidence, including items from his backpack, but key pieces were ruled admissible.
As of Wednesday, no further rulings on the psychiatric defense had been issued beyond allowing it to proceed. The investigation and pretrial matters continue in both state and federal courts.
