Luigi Mangione's attorneys plan to present 'affirmative psychiatric defense'
Attorneys for Luigi Mangione plan to present an "affirmative psychiatric defense" at his state trial, alleging he was suffering an "extreme emotional disturbance" at the time of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Judge Gregory Carro said at a hearing Wednesday.
Carro ordered Mangione's attorneys to turn over his psychiatric records to prosecutors by Thursday, and the judge said the records would be unsealed.
Prosecutors said they may try to transfer Mangione to the New York City jail complex on Rikers Island to undergo psychiatric testing. He is currently being held at the federal jail in Brooklyn, the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Mangione's lawyers first notified prosecutors that they might pursue a psychiatric defense in September, Carro said. Neither Mangione's attorneys nor Carro provided additional information about the "extreme emotional disturbance" that allegedly impacted Mangione's mental state.
If the jury agrees with the "affirmative psychiatric defense," Mangione could be convicted of the lesser crime of manslaughter, which carries a 25-year maximum sentence, instead of murder, which could result in a life sentence, according to ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams.
"The big question at trial is going to be, is it reasonable that he was so upset about the healthcare system?" Abrams said.
Mangione, dressed in a navy suit, was shackled at the hands for the entirety of Wednesday's hearing.
Carro on Wednesday also agreed to dismiss one of the criminal counts related to possession of a large-capacity ammunition magazine.
Prosecutors consented to drop the charge after a ruling earlier this year that prohibited them from using the magazine at trial because it was improperly searched by the officers who arrested Mangione in Pennsylvania.
Mangione pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges after he was arrested for allegedly gunning down Thompson, a husband and father of two, on a Midtown Manhattan street in December 2024.
Mangione's state trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8 and his federal trial is set for next year.
Mangione's next hearing for his state case is scheduled for Aug. 11.
