The man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City and leading authorities on a five-day manhunt is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. This will be Luigi Mangione’s first court hearing since his arraignment in December on state murder and terrorism charges.
Mangione, 26, is set for a hearing in Manhattan’s state court, where prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to provide updates on the case. Judge Gregory Carro may also establish deadlines for pretrial proceedings and potentially set a trial date. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism, for the December 4 shooting of Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The executive was shot on a sidewalk while heading to an investor conference.
In addition to state charges, Mangione faces federal charges that could result in the death penalty. He is currently being held in a Brooklyn federal jail alongside other high-profile inmates, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried. Prosecutors have indicated that both the state and federal cases will proceed simultaneously, with the state trial expected to take place first. If convicted on state charges, Mangione could face life in prison without parole.
A separate hearing in Pennsylvania, where he faced charges for possessing an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police, was canceled. Mangione was arrested on December 9 at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, where police found him carrying a firearm that matched the weapon used in Thompson’s murder. He also had a fake ID and a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.
In a statement posted on a website for his legal defense, Mangione thanked supporters and said he was grateful for those who had reached out to him. His defense attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, criticized law enforcement for what she described as a “choreographed spectacle” when Mangione was transported back to Manhattan, accusing officials of influencing the jury pool with their handling of the case.
