Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty to state charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a New York City court on Monday, as his defense complained about police parading their client in “perp walks” that are “perfectly choreographed, utterly political.”
Mangione wore a white shirt under a maroon sweater and light colored pants in his arraignment before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro.
Manhattan prosecutors last week unsealed an 11-count indictment against Mangione, charging him with a host of crimes connected to the Dec. 4 slaying.
He’ll face allegations that include first-degree murder, an act of terrorism, criminal possession of a weapon and forgery for using a fake ID in the days before the murder.
Mangione pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Defense lawyer Karen Agnifilo said her client might not receive a fair trial due to the high publicity that’s being stoked by law enforcement which has presented Mangione in public during trips to courtrooms and police stations.
Agnifilo places the blame for these “perp walks” on Mayor Eric Adams, calling these public parades of Mangione “absolutely unnecessary” and “perfectly choreographed, utterly political.”
“The mayor should know more than anyone about the presumption of innocence,” she said.