Luigi Mangione abandons mental health defense plans for now in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson murder case

Published 19 June 2026 · health

Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting a health insurance executive on a Manhattan sidewalk, has temporarily abandoned plans to present evidence at trial

Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting a health insurance executive on a Manhattan sidewalk, has temporarily abandoned plans to present evidence at trial that he was experiencing a severe mental health crisis at the time of the alleged attack, according to a court filing submitted on Friday, according to Reuters. The 28-year-old is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel in December 2024. While public officials widely denounced the shooting, the case also drew attention to growing public frustration over healthcare costs and practices within the health insurance industry. Mangione pleaded not guilty in December 2024 to multiple charges filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, including murder, weapons offenses, and forgery.

Trial in September Mangione is scheduled to stand trial in September before Justice Gregory Carro in Manhattan. In a letter submitted to Carro on Friday, his attorneys stated that they were “at this time” withdrawing plans to present evidence that he had experienced an extreme mental health crisis at the time of the alleged killing. Neither Mangione’s legal team nor the Manhattan District Attorney’s office commented on the filing. Under New York law, defendants facing murder charges may argue that their conduct resulted from an "extreme emotional disturbance," a defense that can lessen their level of criminal responsibility. If accepted by a jury, the argument could lead to murder charges being reduced to manslaughter, a lesser offense that does not carry the possibility of a life sentence.

However, legal experts have noted that such a defense may be challenging for Mangione, given allegations that the shooting was carefully planned and that he took steps to avoid arrest afterward. Carro will determine during the trial whether there is sufficient evidence to allow the murder charge to be reduced. Before his death, Brian Thompson headed the insurance division of UnitedHealth Group. He was fatally shot outside a hotel early in the morning while the company was hosting an investor conference. The case drew widespread attention due to graphic surveillance footage of the shooting and an extensive five-day search for the suspect, making it a major focus of both traditional and social media. Mangione was eventually apprehended in Pennsylvania.