Luigi Mangione Cries 'Double Jeopardy!' in Court

Luigi Mangione, 27, made a fiery courtroom outburst on Friday, shouting "double jeopardy" as a Manhattan judge set his state murder trial for June. This date is notably earlier than anticipated and will occur before his federal trial. Mangione's legal team argued that the accelerated schedule would not allow adequate preparation time, describing him as caught in a "tug of war between two different persecution offices."

Despite the defense's plea, Judge Gregory Carro insisted the legal team "be ready." The Manhattan District Attorney's office supported an earlier state trial to avoid double jeopardy, which could render the state case invalid. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal, Pennsylvania, and New York charges. He faces a potential life sentence without parole for the state murder charge.

The legal proceedings come as a separate plot to free Mangione from jail was foiled. A Minnesota man, Mark Anderson, was charged with attempting to impersonate an FBI agent to facilitate Mangione's escape. Anderson allegedly presented fabricated documents to jail staff, but his scheme unraveled when he failed to produce proper credentials and displayed a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter-like tool.

Mangione was arrested in December 2024 for the murder of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson. This killing, captured on surveillance, sparked public anger. His federal trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection on September 8, 2026, with opening remarks on October 13, 2026. The state trial may be delayed to September 2026 if federal prosecutors appeal the dismissal of death penalty-eligible charges.