Luigi Mangione will invoke a psychiatric defense during his state court murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Gregory Carro said Mangione’s lawyers had informed him that they would try to show that their client was suffering from “extreme emotional distress at the time of the events.”
If they succeed, the accused could be referred to a psychiatric care facility rather than prison.
Judge Carro’s decision comes two weeks after he held a closed hearing on this issue, at the request of the defense. He indicated that he would make public the documents relating to the hearing and the defense’s request to invoke a psychiatric defense.
The judge was originally scheduled to rule on the case Tuesday, but delayed his decision for a day because prosecutors failed to notify the prison where he is being held that the defendant was scheduled to appear in court.
Luigi Mangione sat between his lawyers, dressed in a blue suit and a light buttoned shirt. His trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.
