Luigi Mangione’s defense hinges on state of mind, emotion and evidence

(Bloomberg) — Video. fingerprint. A weapon. A manifesto. A plan.

Police claim they have accumulated overwhelming evidence that Luigi Mangione shot and killed UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson in the shooting death The incident on a downtown Manhattan sidewalk sent shockwaves across the country.

Mangione, 26, was arrested Dec. 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, ending a five-day manhunt. While the former software engineer sits in a nearby jail fighting extradition to New York — a fight he may soon give up — he has hired senior New York defense attorney Karen Friedman ·Karen Friedman Agnifilo serves as his representative.

Friedman Agnifilo and her legal team will have their work cut out for them.

Video showing a man matching Mangione’s description in New York around the time of the Dec. 4 shooting was also captured on security cameras. The NYPD said investigators matched Mangione’s fingerprints to evidence found near the scene and found three shell casings that matched a ghost gun Mangione had when he was arrested.

When Mangione was arrested, he presented police with a fake ID, which New York authorities said the suspect used to check into an Upper West Side hotel. Mangione carried a manifesto condemning the health care industry and a notebook discussing targeted killings of CEOs.

Some former prosecutors said the case was exactly the type of case they had hoped for.

“I’ve tried much weaker cases than this looks like and ended up winning,” said Ken Taub, who has prosecuted dozens of homicides in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I would love to have one Such a case.”

Like others charged with crimes in the United States, Mangione is presumed innocent. If he goes to trial, prosecutors must convince 12 jurors of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This may be more difficult than it seems. Friedman Agnifilo can attack the evidence on many fronts. An insanity defense is also possible. In a case that draws widespread attention and strong emotions, it can be difficult to find jurors who can put aside their personal feelings.

A relative of Mangione released a statement from the family after Luigi’s arrest but did not respond to a request for comment.

Mangione’s family issued a statement after the arrest, saying they were “shocked and shocked” by the news. A relative did not respond to a request for comment on Mangione’s New York lawyers and their possible defense case.

Friedman Agnifilo was unable to fully examine the evidence before Mangioni was indicted in New York. At a news conference on Friday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg raised the possibility of Mangione waiving extradition, which would speed up his return to New York. A Pennsylvania court spokesman said no extradition hearing had been scheduled as of Friday.

Before the shooting, Mangione was on the road to success. He was valedictorian of a prestigious prep school, holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, and worked as a data engineer at TrueCar Inc.

However, earlier this year, it was reported that he was no longer in contact with family and friends, prompting a flood of media coverage of his mental health.

Under New York law, Friedman Agnifilo can argue that her client suffered from a “mental disease or defect,” meaning the defense team will seek to prove that Mangione did not understand the nature and consequences of his actions .

In fact, Friedman Agnifilo made this defense before he was hired to represent him.

“It seems to me that they might consider an insanity defense because the evidence would be so overwhelming that he did what he did,” Friedman Agnifilo told CNN. matter.”

Friedman Agnifilo declined Bloomberg’s request for an interview.

If allowed by the judge, such a defense would require an independent psychiatrist to evaluate Mangione to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

However, Gary Galperin, a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for more than 40 years, said the defense is unlikely to succeed.

“Obviously, he knew what he was doing,” Galperin said. “He knew the gun could fire a lethal bullet and he knew it was wrong because he fled the jurisdiction and tried to conceal his identity.”

Once Mangione arrives in New York, Friedman Agnifilo may argue that some or all of the evidence was improperly collected, violated his rights or irrelevant.

Attorney Susan J. Walsh said none of the evidence police have released so far has withstood scrutiny in court. “Sometimes what attracts the public is not necessarily the truth,” she said.

Both sides will also seek to assemble a jury in their favor. Friedman Agnifilo may look for jurors who are skeptical of police and prosecutors, sympathetic to promising young defendants or who express a willingness to embrace or share his grievances with the health care industry.

“Culture, politics, outside influences and attitudes always influence juries no matter what,” said Walsh.

Taub, a former prosecutor, said the case “will be won” based on jury selection. He said social media posts expressing disdain for the late executive’s role in the U.S. health care system suggested the defense could find jurors unwilling to convict.

Prosecutors are likely to reject any efforts to paint Mangione as a righteous vigilante. Galperin said that under New York law, defendants are barred from raising defenses that seek to appeal to bias or distaste for the health insurance industry.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the state’s former attorney general, warned against celebrating Mangione.

“Listen to me,” Shapiro said. “He’s not a hero.”

Friedman Agnifilo will evaluate the strength of the prosecution’s case and weigh his interest in a trial before exploring a possible guilty plea.

One factor that may have prompted Mangione to agree to a deal was the prospect of less jail time. Mangione was charged with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison.

Galperin said Mangione would likely receive a lighter sentence if he pleads guilty, but prosecutors may not offer much leniency.

“Given the cold-blooded and deliberate nature of it all, and the malice behind it, I don’t think that’s a defense for anything other than murder,” he said.

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