Luigi Mangione has abruptly withdrawn a psychiatric defense claiming “extreme emotional disturbance” that his attorneys seemed poised to make the centerpiece of his upcoming New York murder trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Court filings submitted Thursday show Mangione’s legal team formally withdrew a notice indicating they planned to pursue a psychiatric-based defense in the case. The filing offered no explanation for the sudden reversal.
The move comes just one day after Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro disclosed that Mangione intended to argue he was suffering from an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of Thompson’s killing.
Had the defense succeeded, it could have significantly altered the stakes of the case. Under New York law, a successful extreme emotional disturbance defense does not result in an acquittal but can reduce a murder conviction to first-degree manslaughter, carrying a substantially lighter sentence.
Mangione, 28, is accused of gunning down Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. Prosecutors allege the killing was carefully planned and have pointed to journals and writings recovered after his arrest that they say demonstrate premeditation.
According to prosecutors, one entry discussed targeting the healthcare executive at an investor conference and described the attack as “targeted” and “precise.”
The psychiatric defense emerged publicly Wednesday when Judge Carro revealed that defense attorneys had filed notice of their intent to pursue the strategy. Legal observers immediately questioned whether the argument would be difficult to square with evidence suggesting months of planning.
The defense’s withdrawal leaves unanswered questions about what prompted the sudden change.
In a separate order Thursday, Carro ruled that records related to the psychiatric defense would remain sealed, according to NBC News. As a result, any evaluations, expert opinions, or legal arguments connected to the abandoned strategy will not be made public.
A spokesperson for Mangione’s legal team declined to explain the reversal when asked by the New York Post.
The shift represents a notable, if rapid, turn in a case that has drawn national attention since December of 2024. Thompson’s killing sparked widespread discussion about the American healthcare system, with supporters portraying Mangione as a symbol of righteous anger with the insurance industry while opponents have condemned the shooting as a calculated act of political violence.
Just a day earlier, the psychiatric defense appeared to become one of the central battlegrounds of the trial. Now, with the strategy withdrawn and related records sealed, Mangione’s attorneys will head toward trial without a defense that could have reduced a potential murder conviction.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges. His New York murder trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.
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