Mangione Defense Reversal

Luigi Mangione’s lawyers abruptly withdrew plans to use a psychiatric defense in his New York state murder trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, reversing course just one day after notifying Judge Gregory Carro of the strategy. The defense had indicated it would argue Mangione was suffering from an “extreme emotional disturbance” when Thompson was fatally shot in Manhattan in 2024, a claim that could have reduced the severity of a conviction if successful. In a brief court filing, attorney Karen Agnifilo said the defense “respectfully withdraws” the notice, leaving unclear why the team abandoned the approach so quickly. Mangione, 28, still faces serious state charges in the high-profile case.