Mangione Pursues Psychiatric Defence as Murder Trial Looms

Wed Jun 17 2026 20:29:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

New York's Luigi Mangione will argue extreme emotional disturbance in state murder trial over killing of UnitedHealthcare executive.

In a New York courtroom, attorneys for Luigi Mangione announced a psychiatric defense in his state murder case involving the killing of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson. The defense seeks to prove Mangione suffered from extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the shooting, potentially allowing a manslaughter conviction. A judge has agreed to unseal court records related to this strategy, and the trial is set to begin on September 8. Mangione, already facing federal stalking charges that could yield life imprisonment, had federal murder charges dismissed earlier this year.

Mangione Pursues Psychiatric Defence as Murder Trial Looms

Lawyers for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, told Judge Gregory Carro that they will argue his client suffered from extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the shooting.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both the federal and state cases. A jury that accepts the psychiatric defense could convict him of manslaughter instead of murder.

The judge announced that court records related to the defense plan will be unsealed, according to CBS News. Mangione was in the courtroom on Wednesday for this discussion. He had a scheduled appearance on Tuesday, but the prosecution reported a mistake that cancelled it.

The state trial is set to begin on 8 September. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, is also facing federal stalking charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Federal murder and firearms charges against him were dropped earlier this year. Thompson, a 50‑year‑old father of two, was shot from behind by a masked gunman on 4 December 2024 as he entered a Manhattan hotel for an annual investor conference.