Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty to murder charges in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday during his arraignment in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He rocked a maroon sweater, over a white shirt, with khaki pants, and orange shoes for the highly-publicized hearing in front of Judge Gregory Carro. ABC News reports that approximately two dozen women vied for public seats in the courtroom gallery.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, argued that the viral nature of his case would make getting a fair trial difficult. “I am concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial. He is being prejudiced by these statements, and no safeguards are in place,” Friedman Agnifilo told Judge Carro on Monday. “He’s a young man being treated like a human ping-pong ball.” Mangione faces both state murder and terrorism charges.
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Luigi Mangione Appears In Manhattan Criminal Court For Arraignment
In particular, Angifilo took aim at the city’s staged perp walk which featured Mayor Eric Adams, who faces his own federal indictment on bribery and fraud charges. “It was the biggest perp walk I’ve ever seen. What was the New York City mayor even doing there? These staged perp walks are unconstitutional,” Agnifilo argued. “The mayor should know about due process, given his own problems. I think he was there to try to take away from those issues. He wanted to show symbolism. But my client is not a symbol.”
Mangione is currently residing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the same facility where Diddy is staying as he awaits trial in his case regarding charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering. Mangione will next appear in court on February 21.
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