Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, has hired high-profile New York attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo to represent him in his upcoming trial. Agnifilo is a former assistant district attorney who helped prosecute the Harvey Weinstein case in New York. She is a veteran of the New York state court system, with extensive knowledge of the court system and its personnel.
Mangione, who was captured by authorities in Pennsylvania, is facing charges of murder and has been accused of shooting Thompson outside a New York City hotel. The suspect has been described as a manifesto writer who is critical of the American healthcare system and has a history of online tensions with health insurance companies.
Friedman Agnifilo has a background in political science and government, and has worked as a legal analyst for CNN. She has also co-hosted a podcast on trial strategy with former New York Congresswoman Kathleen Rice and ex-federal prosecutor E. Danya Perry.
Mangione’s new representation comes as he is facing extradition to New York on a governor’s warrant. Authorities are seeking to have Mangione returned to New York to face trial, but the process could take more than a month. In the meantime, Mangione is being held in a Pennsylvania jail.
The case has captivated the country, with authorities having matched a gun found on Mangione with the shell casings recovered at the scene of the crime. Other evidence includes handwritten documents found in his possession, which described his alleged crime as a legit response to what he viewed as corporate greed.