A court hearing for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was unexpectedly delayed Tuesday after prosecutors admitted they failed to notify jail officials that he needed to be transported to court.
Judge Gregory Carro postponed the hearing until Wednesday after Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann told the court that prosecutors had not submitted the paperwork required to have Mangione brought from the federal jail in Brooklyn, where he is being held.
The hearing had been expected to address an undisclosed issue following a sealed proceeding held two weeks ago. Carro previously said the closed hearing was conducted at the defense’s request but did not reveal further details.
Seidemann noted that U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, who is overseeing Mangione’s federal case, had issued an order allowing him to appear in court wearing a suit. However, prosecutors acknowledged that the order alone was not enough to arrange his transport.
Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges stemming from the Dec. 4, 2024, fatal shooting of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
The high-profile case has drawn national attention since Thompson, 50, was shot while walking to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Investigators allege a masked gunman approached from behind and opened fire before fleeing the scene.
Authorities have said words written on ammunition recovered during the investigation appeared to reference criticism of the health insurance industry.
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
His state murder trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, while a separate federal trial is set for Oct. 13.
Last month, Carro ruled that jurors may hear evidence including a 3D-printed handgun and a notebook that prosecutors allege link Mangione to the shooting. Defense attorneys have challenged key portions of the evidence, while Mangione continues to deny all allegations against him.
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