Photo: ANGELINA KATSANIS / AFP / Getty Images
Luigi Mangione is scheduled to appear in a New York state court on Tuesday (August 11) for a hearing regarding his upcoming murder trial. His defense team is seeking permission to broadcast the trial live, challenging New York's ban on cameras in most state criminal proceedings. Mangione faces state and federal charges for the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk.
Mangione's attorneys argue that the restrictions on media access violate his constitutional right to a public trial. They objected to the state's media access plan, which limits journalist access and was developed without their input. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office stated it had no role in creating the plan.
Judge Gregory Carro has yet to rule on the request for a live broadcast. The state trial is set to begin on September 8, with a separate federal trial scheduled for January 5, 2027. Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Mangione plans to assert a psychiatric defense, claiming he was under extreme emotional disturbance during the shooting. If accepted, this defense could reduce his conviction to manslaughter, carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years, rather than life for murder. This defense is not available in the federal case.
Judge Carro announced the defense's decision following a secret hearing and plans to release related records after redactions. Mangione's lawyers must provide details of his alleged emotional disturbance to allow for a prosecution evaluation.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania five days after the incident. Evidence includes a 3D-printed pistol and a notebook with incriminating entries. His defense argues that unsealing related materials could prejudice his federal case.