(Credit for Photo: Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Manhattan, NY) Luigi Mangione’s attorneys informed the judge in his New York state murder case yesterday that they would withdraw their plan to argue at trial that he killed UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive officer Brian Thompson while suffering an extreme emotional disturbance. The notice came in a court filing one day after a hearing in which the attorneys of Mangione had indicated they would argue psychiatric defense. His lawyers could be reached for comment immediately and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office did not comment. Judge Gregory Carro said at a hearing on Wednesday that he planned to unseal records related to an affirmative defense available to New York state criminal defendants charged with murder, in which the accused admits to the charged conduct but argues they should not be held fully criminally liable because he or she acted while experiencing a mental health episode. However, in light of the defense’s withdrawal, Carro commented yesterday that he would keep those records sealed. If a jury finds that a defendant has proved by a preponderance of evidence they acted because of an extreme emotional disturbance, the crime is reduced from murder to manslaughter, which carries far less time in jail. Mangione’s next court date is August 11th, which is before his state trial begins in September.