Luigi Mangione Whines About 'Double Jeopardy' During Shock Outburst In Court Over Trial Date
By Favour Adegoke on February 6, 2026 at 9:45 PM EST
Luigi Mangione had an outburst in court on Friday after a New York judge set a June 8 trial date for his alleged killing of former UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson.
He earlier scored a legal win over the Justice Department when a judge threw out the death penalty in his case.
Luigi Mangione's lawyers had argued that AG Pam Bondi had a conflict of interest in the case and should have recused herself from it.
Luigi Mangione Laments As New York Judge Sets New Trial Date
Mangione was left displeased when a New York judge set June 8 as a new trial date for his alleged killing of UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson.
The 27-year-old wailed about "double jeopardy" after Manhattan state Judge Gregory Carro set the new date, leapfrogging a previous October date set by a federal judge in the southern district of New York.
"It's the same trial twice. One plus one equals two. This is double jeopardy by any common sense definition!" Mangione shouted as he was led away by court officers, per the New York Post.
His worry follows as Judge Margaret Garnett set an October 12 trial date for his alleged crime, which sets up the possibility of being tried for the same killing twice.
The Alleged Killer's Lawyers Claim They Will Not Be Ready By Then
Following the new development, Mangione's defense may have taken a hit as his lawyers shared that they wouldn't be ready by that date.
This prompted a scathing rebuttal from the judge, who told them to "be ready" point-blank.
The Ivy League graduate's lawyers, however, insist that the situation is "unfair" to them and seemingly puts their defense in a bad place.
"Your honor, Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable position," Agnifilo told the court Friday. "This is a tug of war between two prosecution offices."
"It's utterly unfair that they are trying to get two bites of the apple," the attorney added.
According to the news outlet, Friday's court drama comes amid what seems to be a struggle between federal and state prosecutors on who will bring Mangione to trial for his alleged crime.
He was first charged with the murder of Brian Thompson in a state court before the feds swooped in to take over.
Reports suggest some health insurance bigwigs have been pressuring the Justice Department to make an example of Mangione.
Luigi Mangione's Team Wants To Do The Federal Trial First
Mangione's lawyers have clamoured for the federal trial to hold first, which would mean the state trial cannot happen, as New York has protections in place over double jeopardy.
However, if the state trial holds first, the federal trial can still start, although Mangione's lawyers would likely argue against it in federal court.
Back in 2024, federal prosecutors claimed that they had agreed to go to trial after the state case.
However, Judge Carro said on Friday that "it appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first."
Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann revealed that Thompson's relatives have requested that Mangione go on trial in state court first.
The Alleged Killer Scored A Major Legal Win Over The DOJ
Mangione recently scored a legal win after a judge threw out the death penalty in his case. Judge Garnett dismissed the capital punishment in a previous ruling because it had "legal infirmities" under federal law.
She noted in her ruling that the "chief practical effect" of dismissing that portion of the indictment is "solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson's death."
AG Pam Bondi had called for prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Mangione, labeling his alleged crime a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America."
"After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," she added.
Luigi Mangione's Lawyers Condemned Pam Bondi's Link To The Case
Due to AG Pam Bondi's association with the case, Mangione's lawyers argued that she had a fundamental conflict of interest.
They stated that she was once a partner at American lobbying firm Ballard Partners, which lists UnitedHealth Group (UHG) as a client, per TMZ.
According to the lawyers, Bondi continues to receive personal and financial benefits "in the form of a profit-sharing plan from Ballard's professional association with UHG."
Since the death penalty was tossed, it has caused mixed reactions on social media, with some even blaming Bondi for the outcome.
