The jury for Luigi Mangione's state murder trial, set to begin next month, will remain anonymous, as announced by the presiding judge, New York state Justice Gregory Carro, on Tuesday. The decision to keep jurors' identities confidential is not common in U.S. criminal trials but is sometimes implemented in high-profile cases to protect jurors from potential harassment or intimidation.
Mangione, 28, faces charges for the alleged shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a hotel in Manhattan in December 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to murder, weapons, and forgery charges, as well as to stalking charges in a separate federal case. Prosecutors claim they have substantial evidence against Mangione, including surveillance video, fingerprints, DNA, a cellphone, a firearm with matching ballistics, and a notebook containing statements expressing animosity towards insurers.
At a pre-trial hearing on August 11, 2026, Justice Carro also stated that an overflow courtroom would be available for the press and public if the main courtroom reaches capacity during the trial, which is expected to begin jury selection on September 8. Mangione's defense has not disclosed much about their strategy, but a court filing from July suggested they may argue that he experienced a severe mental health crisis at the time of the incident. The case has attracted significant media attention, particularly due to the graphic nature of the crime and the subsequent manhunt for Mangione, who was arrested in Pennsylvania. His federal trial is scheduled for January.