Young man Luigi Mangione stated today not guilty of the eleven charges brought against him in the state court of Manhattan (New York), including murder and terrorismfor a crime against the chief executive officer (CEO) of the insurance company UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, committed on December 4.

Mangione’s defense team, Karen Friedman Agnifilo and Mark Agnifilo, assured presiding Judge Gregory Carro that they were concerned that their client, “a young boy,” not getting a “fair trial” and that he is still being treated as a “human ping-pong ball” and as a “political waste” that the authorities are “taking advantage of.”

Judge Carro told them during the formal arraignment hearing that he would strive to “select a balanced jury” but has “no control over what happens behind closed court doors” due to the enormous influence of this case in the media.

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The suspect in the murder of Thompson, who arrived handcuffed but looked well and was wearing a burgundy sweater with exposed white shirt collars, beige chinos and orange sneakers – He intervened during the hearing, which lasted about 20 minutes, only to plead his innocence.

During the last five minutes of the hearing, his lawyers They showed him several documents, including photographs. and received instructions without clarification, head shaking, or contradiction at any time. Immediately afterward, a dozen New York City police officers guarded him in handcuffs as he left the room.

Mangione also faces federal charges in New York on charges of terrorism, murder, stalking and gun crimesIn addition to another open case in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested after a five-day escape with cinematic overtones.

Although New York does not have the death penalty, the federal government does, hence the possibility of the death penalty; while his public offices in New York will have maximum penalty of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutor’s office He has not yet said whether he will seek the death penalty. and this decision must ultimately be approved by the U.S. Attorney General.

These processes are running in parallel, and the state case is expected to be brought before the federal court, while the various authorities and courts coordinate their work to move them forward.

Political use of the case

On the other hand, at today’s hearing, Karen Friedman Agnifilo also criticized the “exploitation” of her client’s case even by political authorities such as the mayor of New York, Eric Adams who was present when Mangione arrived, accompanied by agents, at the Manhattan courthouse on Thursday.

“It was the biggest walk (guarded by agents) I’ve ever seen in my entire career. What was the mayor of New York doing there? These walks are unconstitutional,” the lawyer said.

The court hearing, the time of which has not previously been announced, again had a large following in the presscivil society and members of the court itself, who occupied approximately one hundred seats in the courtroom.

A social media narrative in which tens of thousands of people view a young man some kind of “hero” against the insurance industry, as well as its physical attractiveness, led to the fact that the vast majority of citizens who decided to attend today’s meeting were women under thirty.

The interest generated by this case even prompted many of those present to try to discreetly use their mobile phones to capture only the appearance of the room. before Mangione arrives, therefore, the six NYPD officers in court were on the verge of ejecting several present from the courtroom.

About fifty people held placards outside the courthouse in favor of Mangione and messages against the American health insurance industry that were broadcast behind dozens of television cameras live outside the courthouse.

(EFE)