New York (AFP) – Jurors in the highly anticipated murder trial of Luigi Mangione, charged with gunning down a health insurance executive, will receive anonymity, a judge said on Tuesday. At the last pretrial hearing before jury selection begins on September 8, which will mark the start of the trial, New York state Judge Gregory Carro did not give reasons for the decision.
In highly publicized cases, it is common for judges to protect jurors’ identities to shield them from the risk of harassment or intimidation. Mangione, 28, is accused of killing chief executive of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson, 50, in New York in December 2024, in protest at the US insurance system.
Mangione has been charged with murder and faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in the state case. A second trial in federal court is scheduled for January 2027 on two counts of harassment relating to stalking the victim.
Judge Gregory Carro also dismissed concerns raised by the defense about limited public access to the trial, even though more than 80 media outlets and many supporters of the defendant are expected to attend. “There has never been a discussion or decision by this court to exclude the public for these proceedings,” the judge said, attacking Mangione-backers for “reckless mischaracterization.”
© 2024 AFP
