Luigi Mangione will assert a psychiatric defence in his state murder trial over the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, a judge confirmed at a hearing on Wednesday, as the case that captivated the world moves closer to its September trial date.
Mangione, 28, faces state murder charges in New York in connection with the killing of Thompson, 50, who was shot dead on the streets of New York City in December 2024. The killing sparked a days-long international manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. If convicted in the New York case, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
The psychiatric defence announcement was confirmed by New York State Judge Gregory Carro at Wednesday’s hearing. Mangione also faces separate federal charges in New York and state charges in Pennsylvania in connection with the case.
Last month, Judge Carro ruled that prosecutors would be permitted to use a gun and a red notebook found on Mangione at the time of his arrest as evidence, according to NBC News. The next court hearing has been scheduled for August and will take place virtually. The trial is set to begin on 8 September.
