Luigi Mangione has entered the Manhattan courthouse where he faces murder charges, as the hearing begins.
The 26-year-old is dressed in a green knitted sweater and while his hair is longer, her remains clean shaven. There does not appear to have been any weight loss.
His legal team, led by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, arrived a few minutes earlier and were met with huge cheers from the dozens of supporters lining the hallways of Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday.
Judge Gregory Carro is presiding. He is set to give pretrial paperwork deadlines and may set a trial date.
Mangione, 26, has pleaded not guilty to state charges, which included murder in the first degree, but has not yet entered a plea on the federal charges.
Luigi Mangione appears in court in December
Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Criminal court for his arraignment on state murder and terror charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in New York. (Curtis Means/Pool Photo via… Curtis Means/AP
The case sparked huge interest across the U.S., with many online celebrating Mangione as a kind of modern folk hero. However, prosecutors have charged Mangione with terrorism and murder one, arguing that the murder was intended to coerce the civilian population.
Mangione could face the death penalty if found guilty of the federal murder charge. The state charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Outside the court, across from the gathered crowds, a series of wanted posters for healthcare CEOs were spotted. The posters, which each feature a difference CEO, include Andrew Witty, the new CEO of UnitedHealthcare, CVS CEO and president David Joyner and Aetna CEO Steve Nelson.
They state the men are wanted for “denying medical care for corporate profit.”
The posters also featured the phrase deny, defend, depose – the words found on the bullet casings used in the fatal shooting of former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The phrase is also commonly linked with the American healthcare system.
Our reporter, Katherine Fung, is at court to provide Newsweek’s live blog with all the latest updates.
Mangione has entered the courtroom
Luigi Mangione has entered the courtroom and taken his seat.
The 26-year-old is dressed in a green knitted sweater and while his hair is longer, her remains clean shaven.
There does not appear to have been any weight loss.
02:25 PM EST
Public gallery is all under 25, overwhelmingly female
The public is still filing into the courtroom.
So far, 18 have entered the public gallery.
Of those, 16 are women, and none of them appear to be aged over 35.
are now walking in 2:12 pm
02:23 PM EST
Judge takes seat at the bench
The judge has walked in and taken their seat on the bench.
The prosecutors have also entered the courtroom.
02:22 PM EST
Supporters hold up signs that read ‘Free Luigi’ outside court
For the many activists and Luigi Mangione supporters that did not manage to get inside the courthouse for the hearing, they face a chilly wait as New York City temperatures drop to lows of 21F.
But the cold weather hasn’t dampered spirits, as supporters waved handmade signs that read “Patients before profits,” “No more death by deductible” and “Free Luigi.”
02:12 PM EST
WATCH: Mangione supporter calls for healthcare industry accountability outside court
02:00 PM EST
At least 60 reporters are at courthouse waiting for Mangione trial
The media has descended on the Manhattan courthouse where Mangione is set to make an appearance shortly.
Our reporter at the scene, Katherine Fung, reports there are anywhere between 60-70 reporters and scores of photographers waiting for the arrival of the 26-year-old suspect.
Meanwhile, up to 150 supporters are lining the busy and stuffy hallways of the courthouse, some in green or wearing Super Mario Bros hats.
01:52 PM EST
Who is Karen Friedman Agnifilo? Luigi Mangione’s lawyer
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, attorney for Luigi Mangione
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, attorney for Luigi Mangione, leaves the federal courthouse in New York, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Seth Wenig/AP
Luigi Mangione’s lead defense lawyer is Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former chief prosecutor at the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
According to her online biography, Friedman Agnifilo, a graduate of the University of California and a 1992 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, worked at the New York City office for seven years under then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. While there, she played “a critical leadership role in prosecuting high-profile violent crime cases, including complex cases involving a mental health component, as well as cold case homicides.”
According to the Institution for Innovation in Prosecution (IIP), during her time as a chief assistant district attorney of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, Friedman Agnifilo oversaw an office of approximately 500 lawyers, 700 support staff and roughly 80,000 cases per year.
Before working for Vance Jr., she worked for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as general counsel to the criminal justice coordinator.
She has also worked as chief legal analyst for CNN, which first reported the news that Mangione had hired her.
01:47 PM EST
Mangione’s legal team arrives to huge cheers from supporters
Luigi Mangione’s legal team has arrived at the courtroom to huge cheers from the dozens of supporters stuffed inside the hallways of the 15th floor of Manhattan Criminal Court.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo is leading the team as Mangione faces murder charges today.
01:44 PM EST
Luigi Mangione expected to appear in Manhattan court around 2.15 p.m. ET
Luigi Mangione is expected to appear at a Manhattan state court at around 2.15 p.m.
Judge Gregory Carro is presiding and is likely to set pretrial paperwork deadlines and a trial date.
01:21 PM EST
Chelsea Manning joins crowd of Mangione supporters at court
Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst who shared files about the alleged killing of civilians by the U.S. military with Wikileaks, joined the crowds of supporters at a Manhattan courthouse ahead of the hearing for Luigi Mangione.
Manning said she was “exercising my sixth amendment right to observe our court proceedings.”
Activist Manning was sent to prison for espionage, theft of military property and aiding the enemy in 2013 for the leaks. In a statement released at the time, Manning said she sent the information to WikiLeaks “out of a love for my country.”
“I understand that my actions violate the law,” Manning said. “It was never my intent to hurt anyone. I only wanted to help people. When I chose to disclose classified information, I did so out of a love for my country and a sense of duty to others.”
Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, but a majority of her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama as one of his last acts in office in 2017.
01:01 PM EST
Supporters don green to show support for Luigi
Many of the dozens of people who turned out to support Luigi Mangione at his trial today wore green in his honor.
The green is in reference to his Nintendo namesake Luigi, who is always dressed in green, with a hat of the same shade, in contrast to his brother Mario in red. And at least one was seen sporting a Super Mario Bros “Luigi” hat.
Another small group of supporters were wearing maroon – the same color the 26-year-old wore when he was arraigned in court last month.
12:50 PM EST
Trucks featuring Luigi Mangione and slogans such as ‘No more deaths by denial’ spotted near courthouse
Trucks featuring screens with pictures of Luigi Mangione and slogans criticizing the American health insurance industry have been spotted outside the Manhattan courthouse where he is set to appear later this afternoon.
One truck, driving around the area, featured text stating, “No more deaths by denial” and “Healthcare is a human right.”
Another featured a slideshow of pictures of Mangione on its screen as it circled the block around the courthouse on Friday.
Trucks featuring Luigi Mangione outside court
Trucks featuring Luigi Mangione and slogans ‘No more deaths by denial’ spotted near courthouse Katherine Fung/AP
12:34 PM EST
Is Luigi Mangione’s cousin a professional soccer player? What we know
A viral social media post has claimed that Luigi Mangione’s cousin, Peter Mangione, is a professional soccer player who has recently been added to FC Cincinnati’s first-team roster.
On February 18, FC Cincinnati shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: “FC Cincinnati have added Noah Adnan, Amir Daley and Peter Mangione of FC Cincinnati 2 to the first-team roster via short-term agreements ahead the club’s Concacaf Champions Cup Round One first leg match at FC Motagua.”
The X post has been viewed over 670,000 times as of Friday morning.
This post was then shared by Alex Calabrese, the communications director for Northern American Soccer Reporters (NASR), who wrote on February 18: “Luigi Mangione’s cousin Pete Mangione is called up to the FC Cincinnati first team for Concacaf Champions Cup play.”
Calabrese’s X post has been viewed over 570,000 times as of Friday morning.
Read in full from Marni Rose McFall on Newsweek.
12:13 PM EST
Dave Franco inundated with calls about playing Luigi Mangione
Dave Franco and his wife, Alison Brie, have spoken out about his physical similarities to Luigi Mangione.
When asked by The Hollywood Reporter (THR) about whether anyone had approached him to play Mangione in a film, Franco said: “I have never received more texts in my life about anything.” His wife also said that “everyone” has been asking him to play Mangione.
Mangione, 26, has not been convicted of anything yet, but there is already a rush to make films and documentaries about him.
The alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has also inspired a thriving merchandise market of graphic tees with his face on, and clothing with “deny, defend, depose” written on it — the slogan he allegedly carved into the bullets fired at Thompson.
Despite being charged with murder, a combination of Mangione’s conventional attractiveness, age, Ivy League degree, and societal anger at the American health-care industry, has made him an unlikely hero to many.
His alleged action captured both the news cycle and wider media, as two documentaries on him were initiated in December, and now Dave Franco’s name is being floated to play him in a biopic.
The Now You See Me star, who is Jewish and not Italian, told THR at Sundance that no official offers for a movie role as Mangione have been made yet.
11:56 AM EST
Wanted posters for healthcare CEOs spotted near Mangione courthouse
Wanted posters for healthcare CEOs in NYC
Wanted posters for healthcare CEOs have been spotted in New York City near the Manhattan court where Luigi Mangione is set to face murder charges on Friday. Katherine Fung/Newsweek
Wanted posters for a number of healthcare CEOs have been spotted in New York City near the Manhattan court where Luigi Mangione is set to face murder charges on Friday.
They feature Andrew Witty, the new CEO of UnitedHealthcare, as well as CVS CEO and president David Joyner and Aetna CEO Steve Nelson.
The posters state the men are wanted for “denying medical care for corporate profit.”
They also warned that “healthcare CEOs should not feel safe.”
“When the rich rob the poor, it’s called business. When the poor fight back it’s called violence. FIGHT BACK!”
The posters also featured the words deny, defend, depose. The phrase is commonly linked with the American healthcare system.
Those words were also found on the bullet casings used in the fatal shooting of former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The posters read:
“DENY. UnitedHealthcare denied more medical claims than any other healthcare company, killing everyday people for the sake of profit as a result Brian Thompson was denied his claim to life who will be denied next?
“DEFEND. Punishing the CEOs who profit violent off od suffering and death gives the power back to the people. Defend those who defend us against vultures like Brian Thompson.
“DEPOSE. Health insurance companies are our collective enemy. We must remove them and take their power and give it back to the people. Dethrone the CEOs.”
11:41 AM EST
Mangione’s defense fund surpasses half a million dollars
The legal defense fund Luigi Mangione surpassed $500,000 in donations ahead of his court hearing Friday.
Donations have been pouring, especially since Donald Trump issued an executive order on the death penalty.
The funds are being used to fund the 26-year-old’s legal fees as he faces charges in federal, New York State, and Pennsylvania courts.
As of Friday morning, the fundraiser had reached $514,500, surpassing its half a million dollar target, which has now been raised to $1 million.
11:21 AM EST
Crowds already starting to gather outside court
Luigi Mangione supporters have already begun to gather outside the Manhattan courthouse where he is set to appear this afternoon.
Many of those waiting outside are hoping to get a seat in the gallery as Mangione faces charges today.
11:03 AM EST
Where is Luigi Mangione being held?
Where is Diddy In Jail
Media is setting up in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center, (MDC) in Brooklyn, a United States federal administrative detention facility on July 14, 2020 when Ghislaine Maxwell pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking minors… Getty Images
Luigi Mangione is being held in Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn—the same New York federal jail as Sean “Diddy” Combs, who awaits a May trial in his sex trafficking case.
MDC Brooklyn is the only federal jail in New York following the closure of Metropolitan Correctional Center in 2021, where financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein died.
There are 1,121 inmates in MDC Brooklyn, according to its website. The facility accommodates male and female inmates across various security levels and primarily houses those awaiting trial, as well as some inmates serving short sentences.
Mangione has been held there as he faces federal and state murder charges in New York.
Combs, 55, faces federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The disgraced music mogul is also the subject of over 20 lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct. Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee is representing 120 plaintiffs against Combs, who maintains his innocence.
Combs is being held in the Special Housing Unit (SHU), which is removed from the general jail population. Generally, inmates in the unit are in a cell with one other person, sleeping in a dormitory-style room.
Crypto crook Sam Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence in the SHU at the Brooklyn detention center. It is unclear if Mangione will also be placed in the special unit amid widespread media attention surrounding his case.
MDC Brooklyn is known for its less-than-desirable conditions. Four suicides have occurred there in the last three years. An electrical fire once left inmates without heat for several days. A lawyer for detainee Edwin Corder, who died there from injuries suffered in a fight, told The New York Times that the facility is “an overcrowded, understaffed, and neglected federal jail that is hell on earth.”
In September, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) told Newsweek in an email, “As a general matter, the FBOP takes seriously our duty to protect all individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintain the safety of correctional employees and the community.”
“As part of that obligation, we review safety protocols and implement corrective actions when identified as necessary in those reviews to ensure that our mission of operating safe, secure, and humane facilities is fulfilled,” the bureau added.
10:46 AM EST
Luigi Mangione in court today: What to know
The man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York and leading authorities on a five-day search is set to appear in court on Friday for the first time since his December arraignment on state murder and terrorism charges.
Luigi Mangione, 26, is facing multiple murder counts, including murder as an act of terrorism, in connection with the December 4 killing of Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The high-profile case has drawn national attention, as Mangione’s alleged motives and legal defense strategy continue to unfold.
Prosecutors have also filed federal charges against Mangione, which could result in the death penalty. He is being held at a Brooklyn federal jail alongside other high-profile inmates, including music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Mangione is scheduled for a hearing in Manhattan state court, where prosecutors and his defense team are expected to provide updates on the case. Judge Gregory Carro may set deadlines for pretrial filings and schedule a trial date.
Authorities allege that Mangione ambushed Thompson as the executive walked to an investor conference, shooting him on a busy sidewalk. Following a multistate search, he was arrested on December 9 at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. Police said Mangione was in possession of a firearm matching the one used in the shooting, a fake ID and a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione’s defense attorney, has criticized the handling of his case, arguing at his December 23 arraignment that competing jurisdictions had turned him into a “human ping-pong ball.” She also accused New York officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, of tainting the jury pool by orchestrating a publicized transfer of Mangione back to Manhattan, where he was escorted by heavily armed officers.
Read in full from Daniel Orton on Newsweek.
10:30 AM EST
When is Mangione back in court after today?
Luigi Mangione is being tried in three separate courts for the incidents surrounding the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Mangione, 26, is facing charges in state court on Friday.
According to a website, maintained by his legal team, Mangione is next back in court on Monday in Pennsylvania where he faces charges of having an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police.
Mangione is scheduled back in court on the federal charges on March 19.
10:07 AM EST
Luigi Mangione: Nearly 30 percent ‘understand’ anger at UnitedHealthcare
Nearly 30 percent of registered voters believe the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was wrong, but “understand” Luigi Mangione’s, the suspect charged with Thompson’s murder, alleged anger at the health insurance company, according to a poll last month.
Reactions to Mangione’s arrest have captured and polarized the United States after a significant amount of the American public indicated they may be supportive of the 26-year-old suspect. Many have come to view Mangione as a sort of folk hero—expressing their outrage and frustration with the U.S.’s private health insurance industry. Others condemn him for his alleged crimes, which could result in life in prison and possibly the death penalty if he’s convicted.
Since he first faced murder and terrorism charges over the killing of Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two on December 4 in New York City, Mangione has received social media posts in support, comments about his attractiveness, young women attending court sessions and even depictions comparing him to Jesus.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and weapon charges, among other charges. He’s currently being held at a federal prison in Brooklyn after being extradited from Pennsylvania where he was arrested at an Altoona McDonald’s following a five-day manhunt.
The USA Today/Suffolk University poll conducted between January 7 to 11 found 28.50 percent of registered voters believe the shooting was wrong, but “understand the alleged shooter’s anger with the healthcare system”
In addition, 64.60 percent of registered voters believe the shooting was wrong and the person who did it should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The poll of 1,000 registered voters, taken by landline and cellphone, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
A December poll found that a majority of college students believe that Mangione should be sentenced to time in prison if convicted.
Read in full from Natalie Venegas on Newsweek.
09:56 AM EST
Giant billboard of Luigi projected up in NYC ahead of court case
A giant billboard of Luigi Mangione as a saint appeared in New York City ahead of his court case on Friday.
The huge billboard was projected in Manhattan on Thursday evening.
The UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect is depicted as a Catholic icon, which more typically feature Mary, Jesus, angels and saints.
Mangione is wearing ceremonial vestiments, touching a heart with his left hand, and standing with a yellow halo behind him.
The words “FREE LUIGI” are printed across the picture.
Mangione has become a folk legend to many Americans frustrated with the healthcare and insurance industry.
09:32 AM EST
Luigi Mangione documentary sparks calls to boycott
Luigi Mangione
Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is escorted by police, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, in New York. AP Photo/Pamela Smith
Supporters of Luigi Mangione are calling on people to boycott a documentary about the alleged killer scheduled to premiere on Monday.
In a Reddit post in a group called “Free Luigi,” a user urged people to boycott the Investigation Discovery documentary, Who is Luigi Mangione?, and wrote, “Don’t give in into this corporate backed narrative. Spread the word.”
Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024. He was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9.
He was arraigned in federal court on two counts of stalking, one count of murder through use of a firearm, and a firearms offense. He also faces multiple state charges in New York and Pennsylvania.
Mangione has gained support in some corners of the internet, including a fundraiser for his legal defense that has raised over $330,000.
The documentary is expected to explore Mangione’s background before the deadly incident. It includes interviews with a criminologist, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny and people who know Mangione.
A Reddit user shared a TikTok video about Who is Luigi Mangione? in the “Free Luigi” subreddit. The TikTok creator accuses the documentary’s creators of trying to “control a story before it even reaches the courtroom.”
The creator alleges that the documentary “isn’t about truth or justice; it’s about solidifying a narrative, shaping perception.”
09:18 AM EST
Mangione adds experienced death penalty lawyer to defense team
Luigi Mangione has added Avraham Moskowitz, an attorney with a lot of experience in death penalty cases, to his defense team.
Court filings show that Moskowitz has represented more than 50 defendants charged in death penalty-eligible cases in New York.
“The charges could not be more serious and our client needs every resource at his disposal to fight these unprecedented charges in three jurisdictions,” a spokesperson for Agnifilo Intrater, Mangione’s legal team, said in a statement.
Moskowitz will work as a specialist with Mangione’s lead attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo.
09:02 AM EST
What does Trump’s executive order on death penalty mean for Mangione?
Donald Trump in the White House
President Donald Trump takes part in a signing ceremony after his inauguration on January 20, 2025 in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Melina Mara-Pool/Getty Images
President Donald Trump ordered the attorney general to pursue the death penalty “for all crimes of a severity demanding its use” in an executive order signed on his first day back in office.
The order ended the moratorium on federal executions enacted by former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Luigi Mangione, 26, is eligible for the death penalty if convicted of federal murder. He is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024.
The Trump administration’s renewed focus on the death penalty could mean Mangione faces the punishment, but the president’s main target of the executive order appears to be migrants.
The order directs the attorney general to pursue federal jurisdiction and seek the death penalty “regardless of other factors” when the case involves the murder of a law enforcement officer or capital crimes “committed by an alien illegally present in this country.”
It says the attorney general should encourage state attorneys general and district attorneys to bring state capital charges for all capital crimes “regardless of whether the federal trial results in a capital sentence.”
Trump oversaw 13 federal executions during his first term and spoke of expanding executions on the campaign trial. He had been expected to resume federal executions after returning to office, which have been on hold since Garland imposed a moratorium in 2021. However, only three inmates remain on federal death row after President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 of them to life in prison in December.
In his executive order, Trump said, “The Government’s most solemn responsibility is to protect its citizens from abhorrent acts, and my Administration will not tolerate efforts to stymie and eviscerate the laws that authorize capital punishment against those who commit horrible acts of violence against American citizens.”
08:46 AM EST
Mangione thanks people for support in first statement from behind bars
Luigi Mangione released his first statement from behind bars last week after being inundated with support.
The 26-year-old has received significant donations for his legal fund, and been the focus of regular protests demanding “Free Luigi.”
He was even featured in a skit on “Saturday Night Live.”
In a statement, shared on a website created by his law firm Agnifilo Intrater, he said: “I am overwhelmed by – and grateful for – everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support.
“Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded MDC from across the country, and around the globe. While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive,” the statement continued.
08:30 AM EST
Luigi Mangione fundraiser hits milestone after Trump’s death penalty order
The fundraiser for Luigi Mangione’s legal defense fund reached another goal as donations continue to pour in for the accused killer.
The fund has raised over $500,000, a goal set on December 17. The fundraising goal has now increased to $1 million.
The legal defense fund surpassed a goal of $50,000 on December 10. It was increased to $200,000 later that day.
Many of the fundraiser’s top donors have given money anonymously.
The largest donation listed is $11,000 from an anonymous donor. The donor cited President Donald Trump’s executive order on the death penalty as their reason for giving. Mangione is eligible for the death penalty if convicted on the federal murder charge.
Trump ordered the attorney general to pursue the death penalty “for all crimes of a severity demanding its use” on January 20. The action ended a moratorium on federal executions enacted by former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Two other top donors also cited the “politicization” of the death penalty, while others voiced frustrations with the healthcare system.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, an attorney for Mangione, previously told Newsweek that her client will use the money to fight his cases in multiple jurisdictions.
“Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support. My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him,” Agnifilo said in a statement.
