Judges overseeing Luigi Mangione’s state and federal cases on Wednesday pushed back both trials, putting them on a tight schedule this fall in the high-profile killing of a health care CEO.
A Manhattan judge rescheduled Mangione’s state trial from June 8 to Sept. 8, according to a court order issued Wednesday. Earlier in the day, a federal judge said opening statements in his federal case would begin as soon as Oct. 26.
Mangione, 27, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel in December 2024.
He faces criminal charges in both state and federal courts and is slated to stand back-to-back trials later this year. His state trial on murder and weapons charges is now scheduled to begin Sept. 8, followed by his federal trial on stalking charges.
Mangione’s attorneys had argued his previous trial schedule did not give him enough time to prepare. In a recent letter to U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, defense lawyers said he would have to review an estimated 800 questionnaires from potential federal jurors while on trial in state court. They said such an endeavor “would not be possible” on a practical level and asked for the federal trial to be postponed to next January.
Garnett shifted a number of dates in the jury selection process, telling lawyers on both sides that they should prepare for a conference to review proposed juror questionnaires on June 5. She said jurors could then begin filling out the questionnaires in September, and attorneys could begin questioning proposed jurors about their responses on Oct. 5.
Federal prosecutor Dominic Gentile argued Wednesday that delaying the trial would be detrimental to the prosecution. He noted the memories of witnesses who will testify may fade if the case is significantly delayed. Gentile added that the public also has a right to a speedy trial, and that Mangione has numerous supporters who sympathize with him.
“Your honor needs only to look out the window to see people who follow this defendant and believe what he did was right,” Gentile said, referring to pro-Mangione protesters outside the court.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said her team’s defense in the state case could rely on evidence and arguments that are separate from the federal trial. She had previously said the judge overseeing the state case expressed openness to delaying that trial to allow the defense more time to prepare.
Garnett said she was reluctant to move the federal trial wholesale before a scheduling decision in the state case, saying they are somewhat “at the mercy of the events in the state case.” She said the unique circumstances of the dual prosecutions mean she will have to make some concessions to ensure Mangione receives a fair trial in federal court.
Mangione’s case has attracted international attention, with some fiercely condemning Thompson’s killing and others celebrating it as a statement against the health insurance industry and corporate greed. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
This story has been updated with additional information.
