Murder of a health insurance boss

(New York) Luigi Mangione denounced in court Friday the prospect of two back-to-back trials for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, telling the judge: “It’s the same trial twice.” One plus one equals two. It’s double jeopardy, no doubt. »

Mangione, 27, made the remarks as bailiffs escorted him from the courtroom after the judge set the start of his state murder trial for June 8, 3 months before jury selection in his federal trial.

Judge Gregory Carro, issuing his matter-of-fact decision after a lengthy discussion with prosecutors and defense attorneys, indicated that the state trial could be postponed until Sept. 8 if an appeal results in the federal trial being postponed.

Mangione’s lawyers disputed the June date, telling Judge Carro that at that time they would be fully focused on preparing for the federal trial, which focuses on accusations that Mangione harassed Mr. Thompson before killing him.

“Mr. Mangione finds himself in an untenable situation,” said his lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo. It’s a standoff between two floors. »

“The defense will not be ready on June 8,” she added.

“Be ready,” replied Judge Carro.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state and federal charges against him, both of which carry up to life imprisonment. Last week, the federal judge ruled that prosecutors could not seek the death penalty.

Federal jury selection is scheduled for September 8, followed by opening arguments and testimony on October 13.

Wearing a beige inmate jumpsuit, Mangione remained silent at the defense table until his angry outburst at the end of the hearing. As the trial schedule began to take shape, Deputy Prosecutor Joel Seidemann sent a letter to Judge Carro asking him to begin the trial in New York on January 1^er July.

The prosecutor argued that the state’s interests would be “unfairly harmed by undue delay” until after the federal trial. By law, he explained, the state has “priority of jurisdiction for purposes of trial, conviction and incarceration” because Mangione was arrested by New York City police, not federal authorities.

When Mangione was arrested, federal prosecutors had planned for the state-level trial to proceed first. Mr. Seidemann informed Mr. Carro on Friday that Mr. Thompson’s family had also expressed a desire for the state-level trial to take place first.

“It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which did most of the work in this case, get started,” Judge Carro said Friday.

Scheduling the trial at the state level first could allow Manhattan prosecutors to avoid problems with double jeopardy. Under New York state law, the district attorney’s office could be barred from prosecuting Mangione if his federal trial proceeds first.

The state’s double jeopardy protection applies if a jury has already been sworn in a previous prosecution, such as in a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea. The cases involve different accusations, but the same alleged course of events.

Mangione will not appear in state court again until May, when Judge Carro is expected to rule on a defense request to exclude certain evidence the prosecution says connects Mangione to the murder.

These elements include a 9 mm pistol that the prosecution claims was the murder weapon and a notebook in which he allegedly described his intention to eliminate an executive of a health insurance company.

Last week, Judge Garnett ruled that the prosecution could use the evidence in this trial.

Terrorism charges dismissed

In September, Judge Carro dismissed state-level terrorism charges but upheld the rest of the charges, including premeditated murder. Mr. Thompson, 50, was killed on December 4, 2024, while walking to a hotel in midtown Manhattan for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.

Surveillance video shows a masked gunman shooting him in the back. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “drop” were written on the ammo, a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested 5 days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan.