NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A New York judge said he will protect the identity of jurors in the face of intense interest in Luigi Mangione’s upcoming trial for the murder of UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson.
New York state judge Gregory Carro said at a hearing Tuesday that he will keep the jurors anonymous, as is often done in organized crime and terrorism cases, when the selection process begins on Sept. 8.
Mangione, 28, is charged with second-degree murder over the December 2024 shooting outside a Manhattan hotel that captured national headlines both for Thompson’s killing and a furious manhunt that ended days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Despite the horrific nature of the crime, Mangione has become a folk hero for many who say he expressed their rage at the health-care system.
While taking steps to protect the jurors, the judge also said that he would allow an overflow courtroom to accommodate journalists and the public. He said he expects that as many as 86 media outlets would attend the trial, which will last six to eight weeks.
Media access has become a surprise last-minute issue in the case, with Mangione’s lawyers arguing that robust coverage is essential to protecting his constitutional rights. Prosecutors have urged caution, suggesting that media attention could put extraordinary pressure on witnesses and jurors.
“This is not the court’s first rodeo in a high-profile case,” Carro said during the brief hearing.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s attempt to limit media access to the trial courtroom contradicted the stance his office took in the 2024 trial of President Donald Trump. In that case, another judge also allowed an overflow courtroom for spectators to watch the so-called hush-money case.
Mangione, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, faces two counts of second-degree murder, illegal weapons possession as well as one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument. He faces life in prison if convicted of murder. He also faces a January 2027 trial on a federal stalking charge related to the shooting. He’s pleaded not guilty in both cases.
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