(Bloomberg) — Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder charges in the slaying of a top UnitedHealth Group executive, as his lawyer expressed concerns about getting a fair trial in the high-profile case.
appeared handcuffed and chained in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday (22) to be arraigned on several charges, including first- and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a counterfeit driver’s license.
“Not guilty,” said the 26-year-old Maryland native, wearing a brown sweater over a white shirt, when asked to plead guilty.
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allegedly waited outside a midtown Manhattan hotel before shooting Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealth’s insurance unit, outside an investor meeting on December 4 with a ghost gun printed on 3D, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Mangione then fled, sparking a five-day manhunt that ended with his arrest at a McDonald’s in western Pennsylvania.
Mangione also faces parallel federal charges. He has not yet been charged in the federal case, which is expected to proceed after the state case goes to trial.
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Karen Friedman Agnifilo, his attorney, expressed dissatisfaction with the way the state and federal cases are unfolding, saying Mangione is “being treated like a human ping-pong ball.” He agreed to be extradited from Pennsylvania last week to face the state case, only to be diverted to a federal court hearing while in transit.
“We will fight these charges, whether at the state or federal level, to the fullest extent possible,” she said, adding that she is “very concerned about her right to a fair trial” due to statements made by state officials.
“This has to stop,” she said.
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Judge Gregory Carro said he could not control what happens outside the courtroom, but assured Mangione would receive a fair trial and that the jury would be selected carefully. He scheduled another hearing for February 21.
Friedman Agnifilo said the federal case is “death eligible,” although U.S. prosecutors have not yet said whether they are seeking the death penalty. The Justice Department said the state case must go to trial first.
Protesters sing
Despite the brazen nature of the alleged murder, Mangione has won support from some Americans who are angry with the health insurance industry, particularly its frequent denial of coverage for expensive and necessary procedures.
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A group of more than a dozen protesters stood outside the courthouse to support Mangione, many of them holding signs and chanting “Free Luigi!” as his lawyers left. Among the posters: “Murder for profit I$ terrorism”, “health above wealth” and “defend deny testifying”.
Several protesters shouted, “Hey hey! Ho ho! These CEOs have to go!”
New York City prosecutors upgraded the state case to first-degree murder, a charge reserved for “the most heinous conduct,” such as killing a police officer or terrorism, Bragg said. Mangione also faces two counts of second-degree murder, multiple gun charges and one count of possession of a counterfeit driver’s license.
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Police claim to have accumulated overwhelming evidence against Mangione, including fingerprints found near the scene. The shooting was also captured on a security camera, as were the killer’s subsequent movements as he fled the scene, police said.
Mangione’s lawyer criticized the way his client’s arrival in Manhattan on Thursday was handled by the New York Police Department. Images of the alleged shooter wearing an orange jumpsuit and accompanied by armed police officers and Mayor Eric Adams spread widely across news and social media.
Friedman Agnifilo, a former prosecutor, complained that police officers held “big assault rifles” during Mangione’s arrival, which she called “perfectly choreographed.”
“The mayor should know more than anyone about the presumption of innocence,” she said.
Projectile capsules
Shell casings and a bullet found at the scene had the words “Deny,” “Testify” and “Defer,” prosecutors said. When police arrested him in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione carried a manifesto condemning the health care industry and a notebook discussing the targeted killing of a CEO, authorities said.
The federal complaint unsealed Dec. 19 contained chilling details from a notebook that prosecutors said was taken from Mangione when he was arrested. In one entry, he described intending to “beat up” the CEO of the UnitedHealth insurance unit.
The document pieced together Mangione’s movements around the shooting, relying largely on security camera footage. Mangione arrived in Manhattan on a bus from Atlanta on November 24 and checked into an Upper West Side hostel with a fake New Jersey driver’s license bearing the name Mark Rosario.
The notebook allegedly described how “the details are finally falling into place” and “I’m glad, in a way, that I procrastinated” because it allowed him to learn more about UnitedHealth.
“This investor conference is a true godsend… and… most importantly — the message becomes clear,” Mangione said in an entry.
