Mangione lawyers to assert psychiatric defense in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, plans to pursue a psychiatric defense in his state murder trial, a judge revealed Wednesday.

New York Judge Gregory Carro said Mangione’s lawyers notified the court they intend to argue the 28-year-old was suffering from an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of the alleged crime.

New York law allows murder defendants to argue that they were in a state of extreme emotional disturbance when committing the crime. If successful, defendants could be sent to a psychiatric treatment facility instead of prison if convicted.

Carro announced the defense strategy at a court hearing on Wednesday, two weeks after holding a sealed hearing in his chambers at the request of Mangione’s legal team to discuss the matter.

The judge said he plans to unseal records related to the hearing and the defense motion.

Mangione, who is from the Baltimore area, pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges tied to the 2024 fatal shooting of 50-year-old Thompson outside a hotel in Manhattan.

Prosecutors allege Mangione carried out the killing as part of a broader grievance with the health insurance industry. Authorities said words like “delay,” “deny” and “dispose” were written on the ammunition and signified language used in insurance claim denials.

The Justice Department initially sought the death penalty for Mangione, but a federal judge dismissed some of the charges, which prevented prosecutors from pursuing that if convicted.

The Hill reached out to Mangione’s legal team and the Justice Department for comment.

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