Luigi Mangione has asked a Manhattan court to broadcast his murder trial for the alleged Dec. 4 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that limited courtroom seating and a private journalist selection process have excluded much of the press and public. Mangione, 28, faces state second‑degree murder and weapons charges in September—carrying up to 25 years—and a separate federal trial in January. His lawyers propose televising the proceedings as a compromise; prosecutors deny any role in reporter selection and call the defence claims baseless.
Luigi Mangione Seeks Live Broadcast Of Murder Trial, Alleges Reporters Were "Hand‑Picked"
Luigi Mangione, 28, will next month stand trial on a second-degree murder charge and weapons charges - JEENAH MOON/AFP
Luigi Mangione has asked a Manhattan court to allow live broadcasting of his upcoming trial for the alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, saying limited seating and a private selection process for journalists have excluded most of the press and public.
Mr Mangione during a pre-trial hearing before his murder trial - Jane Rosenberg/REUTERS
The 28‑year‑old defendant is accused of fatally shooting Thompson at point‑blank range as the executive entered the New York Hilton on December 4, 2024. Police say the bullets used in the killing were marked with the words "delay", "deny" and "depose," which investigators say appears to reference tactics critics allege some insurers use to avoid paying claims. Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after a five‑day manhunt and since then has attracted significant public attention, including supporters who gathered outside Manhattan Criminal Court.
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot dead as he entered the New York Hilton after on December 4, 2024 - Bryan R. SMITH/AFP
Mr Mangione faces both state and federal prosecutions. A New York State trial on a second‑degree murder charge and weapons offenses is scheduled to begin in September, and a separate federal trial is set for January. If convicted on the state charge he faces up to 25 years in prison.
At least 100 fans, mostly women, gathered outside the Manhattan Criminal Court last year to get a glimpse of the defendant - Spencer Platt/Getty Images
In court filings, Mangione’s defence says the court and the district attorney’s office may have engaged in a "process where the Court and the District Attorney's Office, directly or indirectly, hand‑pick the reporters permitted to attend" the trial set to begin on September 8. The defence notes there are only 68 media seats in the Manhattan courtroom, no overflow room, and alleges the selection of those seats was outsourced to a private lawyer who represents "approximately a dozen legacy media organisations."
Defence attorneys stressed they were not challenging the integrity of individual reporters but objected to "any process," particularly one in which their client had no role, that permits only a small percentage of journalists to cover the proceedings. Citing the Sixth Amendment, they argued criminal defendants are entitled to a "fully public, open and unbiased trial" and proposed broadcasting the hearings as a compromise to broaden access for reporters and the public.
State prosecutors told People the New York District Attorney’s Office had "no role" in selecting which journalists could attend and called the defence accusations "baseless," saying they appear intended to spread misinformation and delegitimise the proceedings.
The request to televise the trial underscores tensions between public‑access principles, logistical limits on courtroom capacity, and the intense media and public interest in a case involving a prominent healthcare executive. The court will decide whether to permit live coverage ahead of the scheduled proceedings.
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