Luigi Mangione will argue a psychiatric defense in state murder trial | CNN

Luigi Mangione’s attorneys will present a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial this fall, arguing he killed UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson while suffering an extreme emotional disturbance. At a hearing Wednesday, Judge Gregory Carro said he planned to unseal records related to an affirmative defense available to New York state criminal defendants charged with murder, in which the accused admits to the charged conduct but argues they should not be held fully criminally liable because he or she acted while experiencing a mental health episode. Experts have told CNN a psychiatric defense would be challenging but is likely Mangione’s best argument given the strength of the evidence against him. In a key ruling last month, Carro cleared the way for prosecutors to present crucial evidence they contend ties him to crime scene and could shed light on his motive for the killing. A hearing in Mangione’s case earlier this month had been sealed at the defense’s request. The judge said he sealed information related to the psychiatric defense because it would have been “very prejudicial” to Mangione if his attorneys decided not to move forward with the st