Luigi Mangione’s attorneys say they will present a psychiatric defense at his New York state murder trial this fall, arguing he killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while experiencing an extreme emotional disturbance. A judge has moved to unseal related
New York —
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers plan to argue—at a state murder trial this fall—that he shot and killed UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson, while experiencing an extreme emotional disturbance.
At a hearing Wednesday. Judge Gregory Carro said he would unseal records tied to an affirmative defense available to New York state criminal defendants charged with murder. The structure of that defense is narrow and specific: the accused admits to the charged conduct. but argues they should not be held fully criminally liable because they acted while experiencing an extreme emotional disturbance.
Carro also explained why parts of the case had been sealed earlier. In Mangione’s matter, a hearing earlier this month had been sealed at the defense’s request. The judge said the defense strategy had made the sealing necessary because the information would have been “very prejudicial” to Mangione if his attorneys ultimately decided not to proceed with that approach.
Even with that reasoning, the judge drew a hard line once the strategy moved forward. Carro ordered the defense to turn over information related to the extreme emotional disturbance defense—including the name of their psychiatric expert—no later than Thursday.
“(Prosecutors) need 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. ” Carro told the court. “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.”.
Prosecutors pushed back, arguing that the defense had “stonewalled” them. Carro responded by warning that any further delay could mean Mangione would be unable to use the defense at trial.
Mangione, for his part, has pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges stemming from the December 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson.
He has also pleaded not guilty to federal stalking charges.
The case is still moving toward trial, and the courtroom fight over timing and disclosure is already shaping how the defense’s psychiatric argument will be handled. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Luigi Mangione psychiatric defense extreme emotional disturbance Judge Gregory Carro state murder trial Brian Thompson UnitedHealthcare criminal liability New York law affirmative defense