Luigi Mangione, 27, who is accused of shooting and killing former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is returning to New York State Supreme Court after several months away. The judge is expected to give rulings on a number of defense motions during the hearing.
Mangione’s lawyers are asking the court to dismiss the state’s murder charges. They claim it violates the U.S. Constitution’s rule against double jeopardy because he is already facing federal charges for the same killing. His legal team also wants the court to throw out statements he made after his arrest and evidence collected by police.
Prosecutors say Mangione shot Thompson in December 2024 as the executive was heading to a Midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. The killing sparked a nationwide manhunt. Investigators later revealed writings linked to Mangione and bullets marked with words like “delay,” “deny,” and “depose.”
The case has also been connected to a rise in politically motivated violence across the U.S., including the recent killing of activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.
This marks Mangione’s first state court appearance since February. His supporters often show up at his hearings wearing green and carrying signs. Since his arrest, he has raised more than $1.2 million in online donations, with contributions ranging from just $5 upwards.
If found guilty in state court, Mangione could spend the rest of his life in prison. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors say they plan to pursue the death penalty in their case. His lawyers want the federal trial to happen first, arguing that a state conviction could make it harder to find an unbiased jury later.
The defense also accuses prosecutors of wrongly obtaining Mangione’s medical records and says state and federal officials are working together to block his fair trial. They argue that the terrorism charges should be dismissed, claiming such laws are meant for attacks on multiple civilians, not just one person. But prosecutors say the killing was a deliberate political act, pointing to Mangione’s alleged writings.
His attorneys maintain that those writings were private and never meant for the public. They accuse law enforcement of leaking them to make it seem like terrorism. They say investigators exaggerated the case to frame it as a terror attack.
The judge will also review whether to throw out evidence found in Mangione’s backpack, which included a gun, bullets, and documents, as well as his statements after he was arrested in Pennsylvania.
News cameras are expected outside the courthouse, and photographers will be allowed to take pictures of Mangione before the court session begins.
