Luigi Mangione will assert a psychiatric defense in his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the judge overseeing the case said at a hearing on Wednesday.
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New York State Judge Gregory Carro said he would be unsealing a notice from September regarding affirmative psychiatric defense and emotional disturbance at the time of the killing.
If convicted, Mangione, 28, could be sent to a psychiatric facility instead of prison if his defense attorneys succeed in arguing that he was not of sound mind at the time of Thompson’s killing.
Carro said that the defense needs to submit additional documentation regarding the psychiatric defense no later than tomorrow.
“Get it done,” Carro said.
Mangione appeared in the courtroom on Wednesday wearing a dark navy suit and a button down shirt. He looked down and was handcuffed when he walked into the room.
He is facing state charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson, 50, on the streets of New York City in December 2024.
A days-long manhunt for Thompson’s killer captivated the world and ended with Mangione’s arrest in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was apprehended.
Mangione is also facing federal charges in New York and state charges in Pennsylvania in connection with the case. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
If convicted in the New York case, he faces a possibility of life in prison.
Carro ruled last month that prosecutors can use a gun and a red notebook found on Mangione during his arrest as evidence.
The next court hearing will be in August and it will be virtual. The trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.
