The defence attorneys argued in a new court filing that public comments and social media posts have denied him the right to a fair trial.The 27-year-old faces federal charges, including two counts of stalking, one count of murder through the use of a firearm, and one firearms offence in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last December.
Mangione fighting ‘full force’ of US government alone
In a letter submitted to a New York federal court on Friday, Mangione’s legal team said the government’s public statements are influencing public opinion and undermining the fairness of his case, reports NBC news. “Mr. Mangione is one young man, alleged to have acted alone, fighting for his life in three separate cases, against the full force and might of the entirety of the United States Government that is actively and persistently using him as a pawn to further its political agenda. This is the very definition of prejudicial where the consequence is death,” the letter reads.The filing points to comments made by US President Donald Trump in a Fox News interview on September 18, in which Trump said Mangione “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. This is a sickness. This really has to be studied and investigated.” The next day, an X account affiliated with the White House, Rapid Response 47, and many more MAGA-based users posted a clip of the interview to millions of followers. Federal prosecutors told the court that the posts were removed once the matter was brought to their attention and that the officials involved are not part of Mangione’s prosecution team. Mangione’s attorneys also cited comments by Attorney General Pam Bondi in April, when she described the case as a clear death penalty scenario and said she had received threats over seeking the maximum punishment. “There can be no doubt that the Attorney General of the United States herself is ‘associated’ with Mr. Mangione’s case, as the Attorney General is the only individual in the DOJ authorised to seek the death penalty in any case,” the lawyers wrote.
UnitedHealthcare involved with Trump administration?
In addition, the defence has raised concerns over UnitedHealthcare’s interactions with the Trump administration, citing reports that the company increased lobbying efforts following Thompson’s death. “UnitedHealth’s continued financial viability depends upon maintaining the narrative that Mr. Mangione—rather than the company or its business practices—is the villain,” the filing states. The defence asked for information about these meetings to see if the White House and DOJ worked together in a way that could unfairly affect Mangione’s trial.Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania days after the murder, following a nationwide manhunt. Prosecutors allege he was the masked gunman seen on security footage fatally shooting Thompson. The CEO was killed hours before UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. A diary allegedly carried by Mangione suggested a plot to target Thompson. Mangione pleads not guilty in both federal and state cases related to the shooting.
