The hearing will take place at 11 am in Manhattan federal court.
The defense team of Luigi Mangione, the man charged with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is reportedly in “serious negotiations” with federal prosecutors regarding a plea deal for their client, according to a new report.
TMZ reported that a plea deal in the case would involve Mangione pleading guilty to murder in an open plea, meaning that sentencing would be left up to the judge outside of a sentencing recommendation. The outlet said if the case goes this route, Mangione could then present mitigating factors at the sentencing hearing, such as his feelings about healthcare and corporate greed and how it may have led to an altered state of mind that led him to commit the act.
Such an instance could possibly lead to Mangione getting less than life in prison and could constitute double jeopardy in the state. In addition to federal charges for the shooting, Mangione is facing state charges in both New York and Pennsylvania. Judge Gregory Carro dismissed the defense’s earlier double jeopardy argument as being premature.
This comes as an unexpected hearing has been set for Friday morning after a joint request from the defense and prosecution. The hearing will take place at 11 am in Manhattan federal court. This comes less than a month ahead of the scheduled September 8 start date for Mangione’s federal trial.
Plea deal talks had reportedly taken place in June, however, those talks stalled. Mangione’s top lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, accused federal prosecutors at the time of attempting to “prejudice” public opinion against Mangione.
“This information attributed to ‘anonymous sources’ is part of a troubling, deliberate pattern by prosecutors and law enforcement to prejudice Luigi, manipulate public opinion, and violate his constitutional right to a fair trial and impartial jury. Every defendant in America is presumed innocent until proven guilty, including Luigi, who has to fight the same charges twice.”
A hearing was held on Tuesday, in which the judge ruled that the jury for the trial will be anonymous and allowed the use of an overflow room for media and spectators. Concerns were raised about intimidation and harassment against witnesses and jurors in the case. Both audio and video was approved for the overflow room, and over 80 news organizations are expected to attend if the case moves forward as currently scheduled.