Luigi Mangione Pulls Surprise Reversal on Mental State Defense

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Attorneys for Luigi Mangione have reversed course on their plan to argue a psychiatric defense for the accused killer of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson.

Mangione’s defense team told the judge on Thursday that they would be withdrawing Wednesday’s plan to claim that the 28-year-old suffered an extreme emotional disturbance during his alleged murder of the healthcare executive, according to https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/us/luigi-mangione-withdraw-psychiatric-defense" rel="" target="_self" title="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/us/luigi-mangione-withdraw-psychiatric-defense">CNN.

Experts previously told the outlet that entering an insanity plea for Mangione would be difficult, but was a valid course of action given the evidence stacked against him.

Judge Gregory Carro’s evidentiary ruling last month allowed prosecutors to admit crucial evidence they claim ties Mangione to the crime scene and could reveal the motive behind his alleged killing.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state murder and weapons charges in the killing of Thompson, who was fatally shot in midtown Manhattan in December 2024.

Mangione’s state trial is set to begin in September.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/us/luigi-mangione-withdraw-psychiatric-defense">Read it at CNN

https://www.thedailybeast.com/luigi-mangione-pulls-surprise-reversal-on-mental-state-defense/">Read more at The Daily Beast.