Mangione's lawyers reverse course on psychiatric defence in state murder trial
Luigi Mangione's defense attorneys have withdrawn their intention to pursue a psychiatric defense in his state murder trial. This reversal occurred a day after they informed the judge they would argue Mangione suffered from "extreme emotional disturbance" at the time of the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, in midtown Manhattan. The defense team's change of strategy came just before a deadline to provide supporting information for the psychiatric defense. Had they proceeded and been successful, this defense could have potentially led to a manslaughter conviction instead of murder, resulting in a shorter prison sentence. Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both the federal and state cases.