Luigi Mangione's attorney called the prosecution's handling of his murder charges "highly unusual" and "confusing," citing a need for "clarity" from the government.
"Is there one case? Two cases? Two investigations? Is it a joint investigation?" Karen Friedman Agnifilo said to U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker, according to The Hill website. "There are a lot of factors here that I think are very confusing, highly unusual."
Mangione faces a variety of criminal charges related to the Dec. 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was walking to an investors meeting in Manhattan when Mangione allegedly shot him to death.
The murder has drawn intense interest as many have vented frustration with the healthcare insurance industry. Some have gone so far as to begin fundraising for Mangione's defense.
Friedman Agnifilo spent more than 20 years working in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, according to The Hill. Friday, she drew upon that experience to criticize the handling of the Mangione case.
"In over three decades of prosecuting and defending criminal cases in New York, frankly, I've never seen anything like that what is happening here, and so any clarity that the government can give Mr. Mangione, we'd really appreciate it," Friedman Agnifilo stated, according to The Hill.
Mangione faces federal charges, New York state charges, and charges in Pennsylvania. Court documents unsealed Thursday included four new federal charges including murder with a firearm which carries the potential of the death penalty. The New York state charges include murder as an act of terrorism.
"Brian Thompson was gunned down in cold blood as he walked down a street in midtown Manhattan. Thompson was allegedly killed just because he held the position of chief executive officer of a health insurance company," acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim stated in a press release.
"As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione's views across the country. But this wasn't a debate, it was murder, and Mangione now faces federal charges. This Office and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to fight violence in whatever form it takes," Kim stated.
Originally published in Lawyer Herald
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