Lawyers for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) CEO Brian Thompson, argued in a Tuesday filing that President Donald Trump has violated Mangione's right to a fair trial by publicly portraying him as guilty and that Justice Department officials amplified those comments on social media.
Magnione’s Defense Cites Trump Remarks And DOJ Social Posts
As per a report by the Associated Press, the defense cited an interview last week in which Trump called Mangione "a pure assassin" and said, "He shot someone in the back as clear as you're looking at me … He shot him right in the middle of the back, instantly dead." Attorneys said DOJ employees reposted the clip and commentary, further prejudicing the case.
Trump’s comments on the Fox interview arrived a couple of days after a New York state Judge dropped terrorism charges against Mangione on Sept. 16.
Mangione's team also said the White House has sought to link their client to "left-wing extremist groups," pointing to official messaging about "leftists" celebrating him and to a Fox appearance by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who said, "Of course the healthcare CEO was brutally gunned down by another self-described so-called anti-fascist."
The filing counters that the government "knows this statement to be false" because journal writings in its possession "never once" mention being anti- or pro-fascist.
Judge Warns Officials Against Prejudicial Public Comments
According to the AP report, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett responded by ordering DOJ officials to stop sharing comments that could taint the proceedings, warning that "future violations may result in sanctions," including possible contempt findings or financial penalties.
Timeline And Charges In Thompson Homicide Case
Thompson was shot on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked into a Manhattan hotel for an investors' meeting. Police arrested Mangione five days later at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty in state and federal cases.
Federal charges include stalking, a firearms offense and murder through the use of a firearm. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. A federal hearing is set for Dec. 5.
Trump administration officials have defended public statements as factual, while the defense is asking the court to strike the death penalty and curb what it calls a "political narrative" around the case.
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