Luigi Mangione Speaks Out Against Back-to-Back Trials in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case
Luigi Mangione, the defendant accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, made a dramatic courtroom outburst on Friday, February 6, 2026, protesting the scheduling of his state murder trial for June 8. This date falls just three months before jury selection in his federal case, prompting Mangione to declare: “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition.”
Judge Sets State Trial Amid Defense Objections
Judge Gregory Carro scheduled the state trial to begin on June 8, despite objections from Mangione’s defense team. The federal trial is set for jury selection on September 8, with opening statements and testimony starting October 13. Carro noted that the state trial could be delayed until September 8 if an appeal postpones the federal proceedings, but he remained firm in his decision after a lengthy discussion with prosecutors and defense lawyers.
Defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo argued that Mangione is being placed in an untenable situation, stating: “This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices.” She emphasized that the defense would be consumed with preparing for the federal trial, which involves allegations that Mangione stalked Thompson before the killing, and would not be ready by June 8. Carro’s response was blunt: “Be ready.”
Legal Complexities and Double Jeopardy Concerns
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges, each carrying the possibility of life in prison. Last week, the federal judge ruled that prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty. The case is complicated by New York’s double jeopardy protections, which could bar the district attorney’s office from trying Mangione on state murder charges if the federal trial occurs first. These protections apply if a jury is sworn in a prior prosecution or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea.
Judge Carro commented on the situation, saying: “It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first.” Initially, federal prosecutors anticipated the state case would proceed to trial first.
Evidence and Upcoming Court Dates
Mangione is not due back in court for the state case until May, when Judge Carro is expected to rule on a defense request to exclude certain evidence. Prosecutors claim this evidence connects Mangione to the killing, including:
- A 9 mm handgun allegedly matching the weapon used to kill Thompson.
- A notebook in which Mangione reportedly described his intent to “wack” a health insurance executive.
Last week, federal judge Margaret Garnett ruled that prosecutors can use these items in the federal trial. In September, Carro dismissed state terrorism charges but retained the rest of the case, including an intentional murder charge.
Background of the Crime
Brian Thompson, 50, was killed on December 4, 2024, while walking to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video captured a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police noted that the ammunition was inscribed with the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, approximately 230 miles west of Manhattan. Wearing a tan jail suit, he sat quietly during the hearing until his outburst at the end, as court officers escorted him out of the courtroom.
As the trial calendar takes shape, Manhattan prosecutors had urged Carro last month to set a July trial date in the state case. Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann argued in a letter that the state’s interests “would be unfairly prejudiced by an unnecessary delay” until after the federal trial, highlighting the ongoing legal tensions in this high-profile case.
