By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-17 14:56:58 | Updated at 2026-06-17 17:39:01
2 hours ago
Luigi Mangione's lawyers have unveiled a new strategy ahead of his murder trial, announcing that they plan to change his plea to deploy a psychiatric defense, arguing that he was 'extremely emotionally disturbed' at the time of the alleged killing.
Mangione's representation presented the strategy at a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, according to the presiding judge, Gregory Carro.
In response to the change of plea, Carro has ordered the defense to produce Mangione's psychiatric records immediately, meaning they would also be unsealed to the public.
In order for his attorneys to deploy a psychiatric defense, they typically must formally withdraw a prior plea. Mangione had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Mangione has been charged in state and federal court for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, in December 2024.
His trial for the murder is set to begin on September 8. If the defense succeeds in convincing a jury that Mangione had been suffering from a psychiatric condition at the time of the alleged killing, he will be sent to serve time at a mental health facility instead of federal prison.
Mangione's defense team held a secret hearing two weeks ago. Carro has said he will unseal records pertaining to their request to pursue a psychiatric defense.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione's lawyer, has advocated against unsealing the transcript from the hearing, arguing that it could harm his federal case.
Luigi Mangione's defense team unveiled a new strategy at a hearing on Wednesday, informing the presiding judge that they were preparing to argue a 'psychiatric defense'
If Mangione's lawyers successfully argue that he was 'extremely emotionally disturbed' during the time of the alleged killing, he would not face federal prison time
Mangione's lawyers, Jacob Kaplan, Marc Agnifilo and Karen Agnifilo, presented the strategy at a pre-trial hearing. Mangione faces both state and federal charges for allegedly murdering Brian Thompson
Carro has now tasked the defense with releasing evidence related to Mangione's alleged emotional disturbance by Thursday.
The judge said that the prosecution needs to know 'what the malady is that this defendant suffers and how that triggered an extreme emotional disturbance at the time and place of the occurrence.'
'Nothing is going to be a surprise. I’m not going to let you surprise the People on the eve of the trial. So, get it done.'
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