Luigi Mangione has retained a top New York attorney for his legal defense in connection with the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo has been officially retained to represent Mangione, 26, in New York, after the executive, 50, was gunned down outside the New York Hilton in Midtown Manhattan on December 4.
Following a massive week-long manhunt, the shooting suspect was arrested after being seen eating a meal inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9, with an employee calling the tip into police.
The 26-year-old is currently being held in a federal detention center in New York where he faces at least a dozen state and federal counts, including murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
Here is what is known about Agnifilo:
Who is Agnifilo?
Agnifilo is a veteran of New York City’s criminal justice system, having worked in criminal justice, litigation and trials for three decades, after graduating from the University of California - Los Angeles, and the Georgetown University Law Center.
The majority of her career was spent as a public servant, working at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including as its chief assistant district attorney.
She worked as second-in-command under DA Cyrus Vance for seven years, from 2014 to 2021, having previously served as chief of the office’s trial division for four years.
Agnifilo has also been general counsel to the New York City mayor’s office’s criminal justice coordinator, where she worked for Michael Bloomberg on overhauling the city’s criminal justice policy.
She has been in private practice since 2021, and is currently partner at Agnifilo Intrater LLP.
The attorney also frequently appears in the media as a commentator. She used to be a legal analyst for CNN and is currently the legal advisor for TV show Law and Order. She also co-hosts a weekly legal podcast, which draws hundreds of thousands of listeners.
What have others said about her?
An experienced New York prosecutor has spoken of Agnifilo’s extensive legal experience.
They told CNN: “She’s got as much experience as any human being, especially in the state court. She knows every corridor, every judge, every clerk in the courthouse.”
What has she said about Mangione’s case?
The December 4 Legal Committee, which created a GiveSendGo legal fund for Mangione, has raised more than $500,000.
In early February, Agnifilo announced his legal team would be accepting the cash. She said in a statement: "Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support. My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him."
At his arraignment on December 23, referring to the murder and stalking charges brought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, told the court: "He is being treated like a human ping-pong ball between two warring jurisdictions here."
Mangione is next scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on February 21.
