Luigi's Sept Trial is Off Dense Tries to Get State Charges Dismissed
| Luigi Mangione |
By
Gothamist
A Manhattan judge has indefinitely postponed Luigi Mangione’s September trial in state court while his defense attorneys argue that the state charges should be dismissed.
Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty to two stalking charges in federal court last week. The Ivy League graduate admitted to following UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to New York City and shooting him.
He said he had planned to kill the health insurance executive after experiencing years of pain from a broken back. Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo said after the plea hearing that her client felt the healthcare system “had failed him and destroyed his life.”
Mangione still faces second-degree murder and other charges in state court. Jury selection was scheduled to begin in that case on Sept. 8 before a weeks-long, high-profile trial.
Defense attorneys filed a motion Friday asking the judge overseeing his state case, Justice Gregory Carro, to dismiss those charges after he pleaded guilty in federal court. They said moving forward with the state charges would violate his due process rights and a legal concept called “double jeopardy,” which protects people from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.
Carro gave the Manhattan district attorney’s office until October 9 to respond to that request, followed by a reply from the defense team at the end of the month. The next trial date was set for Dec. 10 — a week before Mangione is slated to be sentenced in federal court.
Doug Cohen, a press secretary for the district attorney’s office, said in a statement Friday that Manhattan prosecutors were “prepared to litigate the defense motions.”
“The Manhattan DA’s office remains committed to seeking justice for Mr. Thompson and his family,” he said.
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