Luigi Mangione Murder Trial Bombshell: Judge Reveals Accused CEO Killer Will Blame 'Extreme Emotional Disturbance' for Brian Thompson Slaying
Luigi Mangione will argue psychiatric defense at his state murder trial
June 17 2026, Published 11:08 a.m. ET
Luigi Mangione will claim a psychiatric defense at his New York state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, RadarOnline.com can report.
By using a psychiatric defense, Mangione would effectively be admitting he killed Thompson, but did so because of mitigating circumstances – however, it is still different from an insanity defense.
A Surprise by the Defense
Mangione was back in court Wednesday for a hearing.
At a delayed hearing on Wednesday, June 17, the 28-year-old's lawyers said they plan to prove that he was suffering from "extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence."
If a jury finds that Mangione was emotionally disturbed at the time of the killing, it could convict him of manslaughter, leading to less time in prison. An insanity conviction would have spared him prison but sent him to a mental asylum.
Prosecutors objected to the strategy, and argued the defense had "stonewalled" them.
While the alleged assassin's reported psychiatric issues weren't immediately clear, Judge Gregory Carro ordered the defense to turn over their evidence – including the name of their psychiatric expert – no later than Thursday, and warned that any delays could prevent them from using the argument at the trial.
"(Prosecutors) need to know what the malady is that this defendant suffers and how that triggered an extreme emotional disturbance at the time and place of the occurrence," Carro said. "Nothing is going to be a surprise. I’m not going to let you surprise the People on the eve of the trial. So, get it done."
Tuesday's Hearing was Delayed
Prosecutors failed to request Mangione for the hearing scheduled Tuesday.
Wednesday's hearing was expected to take place a day earlier, but had to be delayed at the last minute after a prosecutorial error.
Carro was forced to cancel the court hearing roughly 30 minutes after it was supposed to start when Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann told him that prosecutors had failed to send the required paperwork to Mangione's jail, telling them to send him over.
"It's on us," an embarrassed Seidemann told the judge. "We got the writ signed but we failed to serve it."
"That's unfortunate," Carro replied.
Outside the courtroom, defense attorney Karen Agnifilo brushed the snafu off, telling reporters, "Mistakes happen. People make mistakes."
A Tale of Two Trials
He faces life in prison.
Mangione is being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn while awaiting trial in for the Dec. 4, 2024, killing. The 28-year-old is set to go to trial in the state case on Sept. 8. His federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is set to begin on Oct. 13.
He has pleaded not guilty in both cases and could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted in either case.
Luigi's Big Win
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Mangione has already scored one legal victory.
Mangione already scored a major legal victory in September, after two charges of terrorism against him were dropped.
Judge Carro dismissed murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism, writing the statute "cannot be interpreted so broadly so as to cover individuals or groups who are not normally viewed as terrorists."
The judge explained Mangione's case does not meet the standards of terrorism: "The defendant's targeted killing of one individual – although abhorrent and despicable – is not comparable.
"While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to intimidate or coerce a civilian population."
