APTOPIX UnitedHealthcare CEO Killed

Luigi Mangione plans to assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Judge Gregory Carro said Wednesday that Mangione’s lawyers have informed him they will try to show that he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence.” By asserting a psychiatric defense, Mangione would effectively be admitting that he killed Thompson but did so because of mitigating circumstances. If a jury finds that Mangione was emotionally disturbed at the time of the killing, it could convict him of manslaughter instead of murder, meaning he’d be sentenced to less time in prison.

A judge has delayed Luigi Mangione’s federal trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. It will now begin in January, instead of this fall. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said Monday that she was postponing the federal trial so Mangione’s lawyers can focus on his state murder trial in the Dec. 4, 2024, killing, The state trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8. Garrett said jury selection in the federal case will begin on Jan. 5, instead of Oct. 13. Opening statements and testimony will begin on Jan. 25, instead of Nov. 4.