A US court judge has held that public statements by Justice Department officials about Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, violated a court rule meant to protect criminal defendants against publicity that could prejudice a jury pool against them.
In a written order, Manhattan-based US District Judge Margaret Garnett on Wednesday instructed prosecutors to advise Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to tell other Justice Department officials that any further violations could result in punishments, including financial penalties or contempt of court.
Mangione is accused of killing of the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson. (Photo: Reuters)
Trump, officials comment on Mangione
The court order came after Mangione’s lawyers claimed that statements made by several Trump administration officials had jeopardised his chances of getting a fair trial.
They pointed to a Justice Department spokesperson’s post on X last week, referencing a comment President Donald Trump made during an interview with Fox News, asserting that Mangione “shot someone in the back as clear as you’re looking at me.”
“POTUS is absolutely right,” the spokesperson, Chad Gilmartin, said in the since-deleted post.
Mangione’s lawyers also pointed to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling Mangione a “left-wing assassin” in a news conference earlier this week.
Last week, a New York state judge dismissed state terrorism charges against Mangione. (Photo: Reuters)
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Mangione in one of the most high-profile murder cases of 2024.
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Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO
Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot dead in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on December 4, 2024. Thompson and UnitedHealthcare, the largest insurer in the US, had faced criticism for the company’s rejection of insurance claims. Police had recovered cartridge cases with words “delay”, “deny”, and “depose” inscribed on them from the crime scene.
Mangione, who was arrested days later in Pennsylvania, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder.
Linking murders of Brian Thompson and Charlie Kirk
The case was brought back to the spotlight recently following the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with President Trump and many officials in his administration drawing parallels between the two cases.
Last week, a New York state judge dismissed state terrorism charges against Mangione, arguing that his alleged crime does not fit “within the definition of terrorism.”
